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As the Danube River dries up, World War II shipwrecks and mammoth bones come into view
Water levels on the Danube River, the second longest in Europe, have dropped so low because of drought that the hulks of dozens of World War II German battleships — and even the remains of an ancient woolly mammoth — are emerging into view.
TL;DR
- Drought has caused record-low water levels on the Danube River.
- Dozens of World War II German battleship hulks have emerged near Prahovo, Serbia.
- These ships were scuttled by Nazi Germany in 1944 to slow Soviet advances.
- Some wrecks still contain explosives, posing a hazard and making removal difficult.
- The low water levels are impacting ship traffic and power plant operations.
- Mammoth bone fragments, including a jawbone and tusks, have been found on the Danube riverbed in Bulgaria.
- The mammoth remains are well-preserved and believed to belong to a single young animal.
- Experts link the extreme weather to global warming.