A drought in Europe could be the worst in 500 years, a spokesman for the European Commission told a briefing.

According to him, the current drought seems to be the worst in at least 500 years. This is the first estimate, they have to confirm the data at the end of the season.

Europe has experienced several waves of abnormal heat this summer, leading to the shallowing of rivers, including major ones like the Rhine, Danube and Thames, as well as wildfires in Portugal, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Albania, Spain and France. Agriculture was significantly affected, with farmers in many countries reporting significant crop losses.

In addition, extremely low river levels cannot ensure proper operation of hydroelectric power plants, and the lack of wind does not allow wind turbines to generate enough energy. And even nuclear power plants have problems cooling their systems, preventing them from operating at full capacity. Because of this, European authorities are urging citizens to conserve energy, water and fuel, further exacerbating the economic situation.