Danube’s waters fall to record lows

The Copernicus Sentinel-2 images capture a stretch of the Danube about 45 km north of Budapest, comparing 9 August 2025 with 4 August 2026. The 2026 view shows the river noticeably lower, with visible sandbanks and much drier surrounding countryside.

The river's level has fallen to a record low in Hungary due to severe drought, a recurring phenomenon since 2018. This year's low waters have caused energy and water shortages around Budapest, problems for river barges and ferries, and harm to wildlife—fish are struggling as water temperatures and pollution concentrations rise while oxygen levels decline.

The Danube is the European Union's longest river, flowing 2860 km from Germany to the Black Sea, and record low levels have also been reported in Romania. Additional Earth observation images highlight related extreme heat effects, including wildfires and drought in 2026.