持续的干旱和热浪导致多瑙河水位跌至历史最低。布达佩斯周三早晨测得的水位仅为23厘米，远低于2018年33厘米的前纪录[1]。匈牙利气象部门数据显示，全国过去90天的降水量比多年平均值低80至130毫米[1]。
这场水文危机对该地区的多个产业造成严重冲击。罗马尼亚Cernavoda核电站因冷却水供应不足于周二关闭一个反应堆[1]，而匈牙利帕克斯核电站也在周三开始降低一个反应堆功率，该电站供应全国近半电力[1]。船运方面同样遭受重创，保加利亚警方周二从搁浅的维京乌鲁尔邮轮撤离186名游客[1]，塞尔维亚北部城市诺维萨德附近有数百艘小船和数十艘货船搁浅[1]。船队所有者Radovan Segrt指出多瑙河水位"从岸边退后15至20米"[1]。
水位急剧下降还暴露了多个安全隐患。布达佩斯上周因二战炸弹暴露而关闭玛格丽特桥[1]。摄影师Gábor Kertész将这一现象描述为"气候变化的结果"[1]。
The Danube River has reached unprecedented low levels across Central Europe, disrupting critical transportation, energy production, and tourism infrastructure amid an extended drought and heat wave. Water levels in Budapest measured just 23 centimeters on Wednesday morning, falling well below the previous record of 33 centimeters set in 2018.[1] Hungary's meteorological service reported that rainfall across the country over a 90-day period was 80 to 130 millimeters below the long-term average.[1]
The historic drought has forced significant operational disruptions. Romania's Cernavoda nuclear power station shut down one reactor on Tuesday due to insufficient cooling water supply,[1] while Hungary's Paks nuclear facility began reducing output from one reactor on Wednesday—a particularly acute concern given that the station supplies nearly half of the nation's electricity.[1] Navigation on the river has become severely compromised, with hundreds of small boats and dozens of cargo vessels stranded near Novi Sad in northern Serbia.[1] In Bulgaria, authorities evacuated 186 passengers from the Viking River cruise ship Urusvati, which ran aground on Tuesday.[1] Budapest closed Margaret Bridge last week after World War II-era bombs became exposed due to the receding water levels.[1]
Observers attributed the crisis to climate change. Photographer Gábor Kertész described the situation as "the result of climate change,"[1] while fleet owner Radovan Segrt noted that the Danube's water level had receded 15 to 20 meters from its banks.[1]