Europe is going through severe drought at the moment, painting an alarming picture for the environment and global warming. However, in some countries, the decreasing water level has revealed old villages, sunken ships, hunger stones and a lot more, which speak of a history forgotten. By Anushka Goel
If you have been reading the news, you know that there is an ongoing severe drought in Europe. The continent is facing rivers and lakes drying up, major issues with shipping and a lot more, and things are not looking good at the moment. What’s more, the continuously receding water levels have brought to surface some ancient treasures such as sunken ships, lost villages as well as hunger stones!
Drought in Europe brings to surface forgotten history
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According to Times Travel, these hunger stones are warnings from previous droughts for the future generations. As the stones show above water levels, it spells times of hardship for the current generation and the locals in the area. A majority of these stones have resurfaced on the banks of the river Elbe, which flows from the Czech Republic through Germany. Among the stones is one that was carved back to the 15th century. It came to the surface in 1616, when locals inscribed on it “if you see me, cry”, highlighting that doom is what lies ahead.
This is not all. The falling water levels have revealed the sunken remains of over 20 war ships in the Danube in Serbia. These ships belong to the World War Two era, and some still house explosives.
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Among the treasures that have been revealed due to the low levels of water in the River Tiber (in Rome) are ruins of an ancient bridge. A small part of this bridge, said to be built by Emperor Nero in around 50 AD, was always visible at low water level, but at the moment, a bigger chunk of the structure is visible. And this is not all. Drought in Europe revealed a “ghost village” earlier this year in Galicia, on the border with Portugal. This happened as the drought dramatically emptied the waters of a reservoir.
Across the continent, the drought is revealing a lot more of the forgotten history of the world, and painting an alarming picture while increasing environmental concerns. Countries such as Italy have already called a state of emergency.
Hero and Featured Image: Courtesy of Oleksandr Sushko/Unsplash
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Written By
Anushka Goel
Anushka has previously worked with publications such as the Times of India and Being Indian. A graduate from Xavier Institute of Communications, she specialises in entertainment, food and travel. She also likes to write about sustainability and beauty. When not working, you can catch her reading a book, tending to her plants, cooking or playing an instrument.
