Shipping companies prepared to halt the transport of goods on the Rhine as water levels in Germany’s biggest river neared a critically low point on Saturday. At one bottleneck, near the town of Kaub on the Middle Rhine, an official gauge measured the water level at 37cm centimetres (14.6 inches) on Saturday. Coal-fired power plants and gas stations could also see supply shortages, if shipping on the Rhine is halted. Meteorologists forecast rain in the coming days, though it was unclear whether it would be enough to keep water levels on the Rhine from dropping to a point that affects shipping. Combined with Italy’s worst drought in decades, the country’s largest lake is nearing its lowest-ever recorded water level.

Source: Irish Examiner August 13, 2022 21:55 UTC