Droughts unearth pieces of World War II in Danube River

Droughts unearth pieces of World War II in Danube River

Some climate changes will affect humans more and will also bring some forgotten historical sights before our eyes. One such historical wonder was the dry season in Europe that was revealed to the world.

The worst drought Europe has seen in decades not only scorched farmland and dried up rivers, but also revealed a piece of World War II history. The Danube, Europe's second largest river, has revealed a glimpse of history after the water receded. World War II-era warships surfaced after the water level in the river dropped due to drought.

In the middle of the raging river that separates Serbia and Romania near the Serbian port of Prahovo, a ship's hull, a broken mast used to hoist a swastika flag, a shack where the command bridge was located, and a barrel used to store explosives or fuel rose in a low-lying river dune.
The munitions-laden ships belonged to Nazi Germany's Black Sea Fleet. When the Soviet forces were victorious in Romania, the Germans deliberately sunk the retreating ships in the river.

Historians say that in September 1944, about two hundred German warships were sunk near Prahovo, also known as The Iron Gate on the Danube River, on the orders of the commander. The idea behind the deliberate dive was to slow the Soviet advance in the Balkans. But that didn't help as Nazi Germany surrendered months later in May 1945.

Scientists are linking the unusually warm weather in Europe this summer to global warming and other factors. Many of the continent's rivers, including the Danube, Europe's second-longest river, which flows through 10 countries, have caused water levels to drop to dangerous levels for ships. The Serbian government has rehabilitated the canals by removing silt from the river to facilitate the movement of ships.
The historical ruins that appear from the depths are fascinating to the viewers but they create various difficulties for those who depend on the river.

Therefore, now with the support of the European Union, the Serbian government has decided to move them to a safe place.

After the war, the communist Yugoslav authorities removed some of the remains from the river. But most of them were left there and hindered the navigation of ships (especially during summer when the water level is low).

A few years ago it was decided to take out the ships that were submerged in the river, but they were stopped because they were loaded with explosive materials.

The European Union and the European Investment Bank have agreed to provide loans and grants for work to remove some ships near Prahovo to improve the Danube's shipping capacity. The total cost of the operation is estimated at 30 million euros ($30 million), of which approximately 16 million are grants.

Experts say the rescue operation involves removing the explosives and destroying the wreckage rather than pulling the ships out of the river.

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