Balgarianovinite.com Exceptionally low water levels on the Danube in Serbia have exposed the remains of a World War II ship near the northeastern village of Prahovo while disrupting navigation, fuel deliveries, irrigation and river ecosystems.
The vessel was part of a flotilla of nearly 200 military and auxiliary ships deliberately scuttled by retreating German forces in 1944 to prevent them from falling into Soviet hands and to block the river. While some wrecks were removed after the war, dozens remain on the riverbed, some still containing mines, shells and other unexploded ordnance. Euronews Serbia has published video footage showing part of the sunken flotilla near Prahovo. Serbian authorities salvaged two of the vessels in 2024, but many others continue to obstruct one of Europe’s main inland waterways.
Water levels remain exceptionally low, and Serbia’s Hydrometeorological Institute does not expect a significant rise in the coming days. Prime Minister Duro Macut warned last week that the next 20 days would be critical and urged citizens to use electricity sparingly.
Vladislav Sekirovic, speaking to Euronews Serbia, said cargo vessels had to reduce their draft because of shallow water, limiting cargo volumes, increasing transport costs and slowing deliveries. He said the upper stretch of the Danube in Serbia is the most critical and warned that parts of the river could soon become unnavigable. However, conditions downstream remain more favourable thanks to the Djerdap I and II hydropower dams.
The low water levels coincide with another heatwave expected to bring dangerous temperatures across much of Serbia this week. Branimir Jovancicevic, a professor at the University of Belgrade’s Faculty of Chemistry, said the current drought was less severe than some previous ones but noted that critically low rainfall in Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary had significantly affected the Danube. He said Serbia’s drinking water supply is not currently at risk, but warned that prolonged drought could reduce hydropower generation on the river.
The drought has also heightened the risk of wildfires. Public enterprise Srbijasume urged citizens to exercise extreme caution, warning that even a discarded cigarette could ignite dry vegetation.
President Aleksandar Vucic said on Sunday that authorities were taking steps to ensure the continued operation of the NIS refinery in Pancevo despite disruptions to river transport. The refinery relies on the Danube both for exporting fuel and for imports of petroleum products from regional refineries. Low Danube Water Levels in Serbia Expose WWII Shipwreck and Renew Longstanding Concerns 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-08-03 18:00:40 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law