The severe drought is drying up major rivers in Europe, including the Rhine.



The British daily The Guardian reported that "with record heat and low precipitation, the level of precipitation is lowering with each passing day, affecting not only transportation but also all sectors of the economy."



In Germany, the Rhine water level measured by the German Federal Institute of Hydrology (BFG) was less than 40 cm.



It is expected that it will be lowered to less than 30 cm in a few days, especially 40 cm, which is the level considered by transport companies to be the de facto 'maginot line' for operating barges.



Enlarging an image


Barge traffic on the Rhine has already significantly decreased and rates have risen five times, and there are concerns that if barge transport is completely stopped, it will take a toll on the European economy as well as Germany.



In Italy, the flow of the Po River has already fallen to a tenth of its normal level.



As the water level is about 2m lower than usual, agricultural production such as corn and rice is already being hit.



The Loire, the longest in France, is in a similar situation.



To protect the Loire River, the French authorities strictly regulate the temperature of the river when discharging cooling water from nuclear power plants. However, during the drought, the water level of the river has dropped and the temperature has already risen, affecting the amount of coolant discharged.



As a result, in order to reduce the amount of cooling water, electricity production must be reduced.



Authorities recently temporarily allowed additional cooling water discharge for some nuclear power plants, The Guardian said.



In addition, Norway, which relies on hydroelectric power for about 90% of its electricity, is also discussing the possibility of reducing electricity exports in the future as the water level in its reservoirs is abnormally low.



Experts warn that the drought could become the worst in centuries, with little rainfall over the past two months and no forecast for the foreseeable future.



Andrea Torreti, a researcher at the European Commission's Joint Research Center (JRC), said: "2018 was the worst drought in the last 500 years, but this year seems to be even worse."



(Photo = Getty Images Korea)