Record-low water levels in the Danube have exposed the submerged remains of the former Franz Joseph Bridge beneath the Szechenyi Chain Bridge in Budapest, marking a stark visual indicator of the ongoing drought crisis in Central Europe.
The receding waters are the latest manifestation of a severe dry spell that has pushed the river to its lowest point in three decades.
The exposure of historic infrastructure highlights the severity of the hydrological anomaly, which extends far beyond Budapest.
The drought is causing significant operational disruptions for shipping and agriculture along the river's course, particularly in Romania.
The decline in water levels has reached critical lows, hampering logistics for goods transported on Europe’s second-longest waterway.
Earlier this year, the drastic drop in water levels also revealed the hulls of dozens of World War II German battleships in other sections of the river.