In Romania, the water level in the Danube River has dropped so much that it is creating problems for the agricultural sector and transport links.

Ferry services have been suspended. Grain barges are standing idle, and cruise ships are being forced to change their routes or transport tourists by bus. At the height of the heatwave, farmers do not have enough water for irrigation.

Carmen Dumitrescu, Euronews: «Because of the low water level in the Danube, several barges have run aground near the port of Bechet. Cruise ships are also experiencing problems. Those that were supposed to reach the Danube Delta are also docking at the port of Bechet.»

According to Ayman Ismail, a representative of a cruise company, travel agencies are trying to find alternative options for their clients. “We have now been here for two days. Our guests will go to Bucharest, since all the programmes have been disrupted because of the water level situation,” Ismail says.

Another vessel left Budapest, but the low water level in the Danube forced the crew to change course in several countries along the river.

Constantin Ionele, owner of a pontoon in Bechet: «Traffic on the Danube has stopped, and we do not know when it will resume. Every year cruise ships come here from the West. This year they have encountered serious problems: they cannot reach their final destination.»

In Bechet, ferry traffic to Bulgaria has been suspended for several days because of the low river level. Vessels arriving in the area have to look for alternative routes. Farms are suffering from the lack of water. Agricultural producers fear that their incomes will fall significantly.

Constantin Iancu told Euronews that farmers are now “starting to count every cent, because there is practically no money left.”

Local farmers say that if there is no heavy rainfall in the next two weeks, the harvest could dry up completely.

At the point where the Danube enters Romania, the lowest water volume in more than two decades has been recorded. The water level has fallen below the threshold at which pumping stations can operate. According to hydrologists, the height of the Danube’s water surface will only continue to fall in the coming days.