Following the 'unusual' hot temperatures and lack of rainfall in Europe, the rivers that have been the mainstay of the economy for centuries are starting to dry up.
The continent's rivers and canals carry more than 1 ton of cargo annually for every resident of the European Union (EU). In fact, the transportation sector alone contributes about $80 billion to the region's economy.
However, the Rhine river's water level, which is decreasing below critical levels, may be impassable at a key crossing point later this week, potentially blocking large flows of diesel and coal.
The Rhine is the most important river in Europe which plays a big role in helping transport coal to German power plants to help offset the effects of Russian pressure on gas supplies.
While the Danube river, which runs for 2,850 km from central Europe to the Black Sea, also faces a similar situation, causing grain shipments and other trade to be blocked.
France's energy crisis has worsened as the Rhone and Garonne rivers are too hot to effectively cool nuclear reactors, while Italy's Po river is too cold for agricultural use.
This situation is seen to further increase the challenge for Europe which is already on the brink of recession due to Russian aggression aggravating inflationary pressure with food and energy supply disruptions.
Analysts see this dire situation expected to push the continent's economy worse than the $5.1 billion loss suffered due to the Rhine transit issue in 2018.
