Severe Heatwave Dries Up European Rivers, Revealing Nazi-Era Warships

**BERLIN:** Severe heat and drought across parts of Europe have caused river levels to fall dramatically, revealing sunken warships dating back to the Nazi era.

The Danube River has reached historically low water levels amid the prolonged dry spell, while the shortage of water is also adding to the region’s energy crisis.

Among the wrecks emerging from the receding waters are vessels belonging to Nazi Germany’s wartime navy. The ships were deliberately sunk during World War II in an effort to slow the advance of Soviet forces.

The wrecks remain difficult to remove because some of them contain explosives and other hazardous materials left over from the war.

The unusually low river levels are providing a rare glimpse of the submerged vessels, while authorities face additional challenges in managing navigation, environmental risks and the impact of the drought on energy supplies.