Record low water levels in the Rhine have led to a decline in production in Germany, the Financial Times (FT) reported. The level of the Rhine has fallen to an almost 8-year low. Companies have faced difficulties in transporting materials and have been forced to reduce production.
“The volumes of freight that need to be diverted are so large that replacing river transport with rail or road transport will be difficult, especially given that repair work is currently underway on some important routes“, the newspaper quoted Deutsche Bank economist Mark Schattenberg as saying.
The unusual heat wave at the end of June has sparked a debate in Germany about the need to step up protective measures. The opposition in the Bundestag has mainly called for increased investment. The proposed funding will be used to equip hospitals, care facilities and kindergartens with cooling systems in case of future heat waves. According to experts and medical professionals, many institutions are currently not sufficiently prepared for extreme temperatures. For its part, the German government has stated that this matter falls within the jurisdiction of the federal states and municipalities.