For the first time since the late summer of the 2010s, the Danube flowing through Hungary has fallen to a level that threatens both the country’s transport arteries and its electricity supply. A water gauge in central Budapest recorded a height of just 9 cm above the riverbed on Wednesday morning – a reading normally only seen in late August or September. By contrast, the same gauge showed 33 cm during the 2018 heatwave.

Navigation and commerce brought to a standstill

Commercial navigation on the Danube within Hungary has been suspended. Freight companies are now rerouting cargo by road and rail, while vessels that normally cruise the river – including floating hotels – are anchored and waiting for passengers to be transferred by bus from Vienna or Komárno. A hotel‑ship captain explained that his vessel cannot depart Budapest because the water is too shallow for the locks and bridges, and it may remain stranded until September or possibly November.

Along the exposed riverbank near Margaret Bridge a makeshift beach has appeared; a resident measured the length of the exposed riverbed at 41 m. Long‑time Budapest resident and former civil engineer remarked that he has never before seen the tops of boats level with the street pavement.

Power generation under pressure

The Danube supplies cooling water to the Paks nuclear power plant, which provides roughly 40 % of Hungary’s electricity. With river levels below safety limits, the plant shut down two of its four reactors. One reactor continues to operate, but a further 2 cm drop would have forced a total shutdown. Energy Minister János Kovács said the plant's cooling system can no longer ensure safe temperatures and that the government is ready to import electricity from neighbouring countries if needed.

Defence Minister Romulusz Ruszin‑Szendi visited the water‑distribution site, where soldiers of the 14th Engineer Regiment are producing thousands of bottled‑water sachets each day for distribution.

Emergency water measures and industrial cuts

Emergency deliveries of water have been organised for towns where supplies have broken down. Police and soldiers have been deployed to document the newly visible iron pillars of the Franz Joseph Bridge – remnants last seen in 2018 – and to reassure the public. Volunteer groups have set up bottled‑water distribution points, and in Szentendre a community centre runs a “water bank” that limits the number of bottles each family can collect per day.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development issued an emergency order requiring large industrial users to cut water consumption by 30 % and to submit reduction plans within 48 hours. Gábor Nagy, spokesperson for the Hungarian business federation, warned that the mandated water cuts could jeopardise production goals and cause job losses, while acknowledging the need to protect the river. The Hungarian Confederation of Trade Unions (MSZOSZ) called for state financial aid for firms that invest in water‑saving technology and for compensation of any lost wages.

Wider European context and outlook

The European Drought Observatory reported that the Danube basin’s average flow is the lowest on record since 1900. Similar low‑flow conditions have been recorded on the Rhine, Po and Vistula rivers this summer. European Commission climate‑adaptation officials warned that climate change will increase the frequency of extreme low‑flow events and urged a rethink of water management, river‑bank restoration and cross‑border coordination.

Hungary’s government has declined to adopt a comprehensive river‑basin plan, stating that current measures are sufficient. Hydrologists warn that the low flow could persist into autumn if rainfall remains below average. The European Flood Awareness System issued a medium‑risk alert for the Danube basin, noting that sudden rain could cause flash floods in areas that have been dry for weeks.

Authorities expect emergency measures – water distribution, industrial cuts and the reduced operation of the nuclear plant – to remain in place until river levels rise enough to allow safe navigation and adequate cooling for the reactors.