Danube drought halts river traffic; flow forecast to drop to 1,300 m³/s

Extreme drought has left Danube water levels critically low, blocking barges at Calafat, halting passenger ships at Drobeta-Turnu Severin, and suspending the Bechet ferry for four months. Specialists forecast river flow to drop to 1,300 m³/s, prolonging the navigation crisis. This disrupts regional freight and passenger transport along a key European waterway, with economic implications for trade and tourism.