Worldwide, weeks of drought have caused water levels to plummet in rivers and streams, leading to the destruction of long-submerged vessels, historic sites, and statues.
Europe’s most severe drought for over 500 years revealed the so-called “hunger stones”, German warships that were destroyed during World War II, and an ancient stone circle called the “Spanish Stonehenge”.
China has revealed a submerged island with three Buddhist statues and 600 year old Buddhas. A drought-stricken lake in America revealed five bodies believed to have been murdered by the Mafia.
Around the world, nations are suffering from a record breaking summer of drought and heat waves that has seen rivers plummet to dangerously high levels.
SERBIA: A German warship has been found in the Danube, Prahovo (Serbia), on August 18, amid plummeting water levels
CHINA: An once-submerged Buddhist statue is perched on the Foyeliang island Reef in Yangtze River. It was created after Chongqing’s August 20th drought.
The River Elbe runs from Germany to Czech Republic. A drought revealed the unsettlingly named “hunger stones”, which are engraved with the words “if you see us, weep”.
SPAIN: The Dolmen de Guadalperal (also known as the Spanish Stonehenge) can be seen high above the Valdecanas reservoir’s water level. It is currently at 27% capacity.
ITALY: The receding levels of water in the Tiber River in Rome has also revealed the remains of the ancient bridge of Nero (pictured on June 24). This bridge was constructed by Emperor Nero during the first century to allow him access to his property on the right bank, which includes the Villa of Agrippina.
Along the River Elbe, which flows from the Czech Republic to Germany, the drought has revealed the ominously named ‘hunger stones’, which bear the inscription ‘if you see me, then weep’.
Some people see the appearance of these boulders again as an indication of the difficulties faced in past droughts. The dates visible on the stones in Worms (south of Frankfurt) and Rheindorf, close to Leverkusen include 1947, 2009, 2003, and 2018.
Drought has exposed the remains of many explosive-laden German warships that were lost in the Second World War, near Prahovo (river port of Serbia).
These ships were part of hundreds that were scuttled by the Black Sea fleet of Nazi Germany in 1944, as it retreated from the Soviet advance forces.
GERMANY – One of the hunger stones’ revealed by the low water level can be seen at Rheindorf in Germany, August 17.
GERMANY: The re-emergence of the boulders, seen in Worms, Germany on August 17, is seen by some as a warning and reminder of the hardships faced during past droughts.
GERMANY: The foundation walls of the village of Berich at the bank of the Edersee reservoir have reemerged following low water levels near Waldeck, Germany, on August 11
But, scientists believe this drought, which is caused by global warming, has revealed more than 20 massive hulks along a section of Danube that runs near Prahovo, eastern Serbia. These hulks contain tons of explosives, ammunition and other materials, and can pose dangers to ships.
VelimirTrajilovic, who is 74 and a retired pensioner from Prahovo wrote a book on the German ships.
The channel that runs through western Europe’s longest river is several hundred yards wide. It flows through Novi Sad, Serbia, and it can be accessed by boat.
Drought and very high temperatures have reduced the lane to a narrow one, and Serbians are trying to make it accessible to cargo barges and other ships through dredging.
SERBIA: The drought has also exposed the hulks of dozens of explosives-laden German warships sunk during the Second World War near Serbia’s river port town of Prahovo on August 18
SERBIA. The Wreckage a World War Two German Warship is seen at Prahovo in Serbia, August 18
SERBIA – These vessels were part of hundreds that Nazi Germany’s Black Sea Fleet scuttled down the Danube in 1944. They had to retreat from the advancing Soviet forces.
Archaeologists in Spain have enjoyed the discovery of the “Spanish Stonehenge”, a prehistoric circle of stone that has been covered with water from a dam.
The Dolmen of Guadalperal is the official name of this stone circle. It can be found in one corner of Valdecanas reservoir in central Caceres. Authorities say that the water level has fallen to 28% of its capacity.
Hugo Obermaier, a German archaeologist discovered it in 1926. However, the region was submerged in 1963 as part of a project for rural development under Francisco Franco’s rule. It has been fully visible only four times since then.
ITALIA: Due to severe drought conditions in Italy, the ‘Zibello barge was sink by the Germans during World War II.
ITALY: The ‘Zibello’ barge, which was sunk during the Second World War by the Germans in 1943, has now re-emerged due to the worst drought since the seventies which is affecting the Po river and the entire Po valley
Italy declared a State of Emergency for Areas Around the River Po. A previously submerged World War Two Bomb weighing 450kg was also discovered at the bottom of Italy’s longest river.
Near the town of Mantua was Borgo Virgilio in the north. Around 3,000 residents were evacuated.
Remains of Nero’s ancient bridge have been revealed by the falling levels of Rome’s Tiber River.
In the early century, Emperor Nero built the bridge to allow him access to his property on the right bank. This includes the Villa of Agrippina.
SPAIN: The low water level at Lindoso’s reservoir revealed Aceredo in Lobios. It was submerged on the 6th of July 1990s.
SPAIN: Spanish archaeologists were delighted to see a prehistoric rock circle, called the “Spanish Stonehenge”, that was created by water from a dam. It is normally covered with the waters of the 28-July.
SPAIN: Officially known as the Dolmen of Guadalperal, the stone circle currently sits fully exposed in one corner of the Valdecanas reservoir, in the central province of Caceres, where authorities say the water level has dropped to 28 per cent of capacity
There are many places in Europe that rivers and lakes are being dried out. A submerged island was discovered in Chongqing, China’s southwest city.
On the top of Foyeliang Island Reef, three Buddhist statues were found. The sculptures are 600-years old. One statue shows a monk on a lotus platform.
Due to droughts and heatwaves in China’s southwest, Yangtze water levels are rapidly falling.
Since July, the Yangtze basin’s rainfall has averaged around 45 percent less than usual. High temperatures could persist at least for another week according to official forecasts.
CCTV, the state broadcaster in Chongqing said that 66 rivers have been dried up across 34 Chongqing counties.
CHINA: A submerged island was discovered in Chongqing, a southwestern Chinese city.
CHINA: The three statues of a Buddhist monk, estimated to have been 600 years old were discovered on Foyeliang’s highest point. They are believed to have been built in the Ming-Qing dynasties. One statue depicts a monk seated on a lotus pedestal.
CHINA: Due to the low water level at Poyang Lake, Jiujiang Province, China on August 21st 2011, Luoxingdun Island’s historic location is visible clearly
The drought in America has also led to some very sad discoveries. At the bottom of Lake Mead, Las Vegas, five bodies thought to have been taken by Mafia were discovered.
In May, the body of a victim that had been shot in its head was discovered. It was then stuffed into a barrel and then thrown overboard. This is a hallmark of Las Vegas hitmen in the 1970s/80s.
A second corpse was found days later in the barrel. Another corpse was also discovered in July.
This month, two more sets of bones were discovered in the Swim Beach region.
US investigators looking into a mob-related murder claimed that they found a gun in the area where the original body was discovered.
Las Vegas police tweeted that “a firearm was recovered from Lake Mead National Recreation Area in August 2017 at close proximity to the location where one of the human remains was discovered,”
The two men added that the investigation was far too incontinent to rule out a connection to it.
UNITED STATES – The water levels at Lake Mead on the Nevada-Arizona border are receding due to drought. The remains of a human skull were discovered in a barrel made from rusty metal on the shore.
UNITED STATES – Although Lake Mead was a popular place for those victims, Mafia specialists have long argued the Nevada desert is a better choice. Pictured is another body discovered at Lake Mead
According to a police spokesperson, the weapon was located close to the location where it was found.
The drought that gripped much of the west is creating a problem for water resources. Lakes and reservoirs are falling to historic lows.
Lake Mead was once 1,200ft (365m) above the sea level. However, the lake is slowly shrinking after over two decades in drought.
The reservoir had been filled since 1930s, and Thursday was the lowest it has ever reached.
According to scientists, human-caused global warming is accelerating natural drought cycles.