"I haven't seen something like this in 40 years!" Danube near Bela Stena in Serbia almost DRIED UP!

"I've been here for a long time, for 40 years, both in winter and summer. It would get bad, but I don't remember it being like this," one of the many perplexed residents of Bela Stena near Pancevo tells us. Here, the water level of the Danube, like in the rest of Serbia, has receded drastically and has been at a historic low for weeks. Now we have visited this very place, and the situation is not naive at all.

As soon as we set foot at the Pancevo residents' favorite bathing spot, which can be reached by boat, it became clear to us that the infamous climate change is happening right before our eyes, and that the Danube is the first to be affected, it seems, at least when it comes to Serbia.

In addition to the low water level that makes it seem that the massive river has almost dried up, there is a very unpleasant smell lingering over the entire area near Pancevo, but also the ugly sights of neglected nearby beaches that no one is using during this part of the year.

On the once deep river, there are now ponds filled with water, just enough to know that there used to be water there, but not enough to even think that it was the Danube that once flowed there.

"15, 20 years ago there was even less water, but as of late, this is the worst. It's bad, but it's getting better day by day. Because of this low water level, algae appear, the water is hot and the beach is overgrown," says Slobodan Lazic, who has spent almost his entire life along the Danube.

He added that the water level of the Danube fluctuates non-stop, however, in the last few months it has dropped a lot.

"The fish have retreated to deeper waters, they're weak. There are swimmers, people come, especially since it's a good beach for children," Slobodan continued.

When it comes to safety, Slobodan points out, there is no concern for the swimmers, because everything depends on them, but he also warns about shoals that have appeared due to the low water level.

"For those who are careful, there's nothing to worry about. Water is water. The Danube is the Danube. People get drowned even in a trough. As for these sand shoals, they can be dangerous. If you are not a swimmer, you go, go, go and don't expect it, and then just fall in. No one has drowned so far, but some have swallowed some water," Slobodan tells us.

In addition to swimmers who are not giving up on spending time on the river, there are currently many birds on the Danube, or rather, in the places where the Danube used to flow - gulls, ducks, swans. We managed to record them while passing through this part of Pancevo and looking around us in disbelief.

Although the river is shallow and the smells are not pleasant, we learned from the locals and the regulars that the water is not polluted, so that birds and people can still "enjoy" it safely.

A hydrologist with the RHMZ, Dejan Vladikovic, revealed official forecasts for Telegraf.rs, and when the situation can be expected to improve, but also warned citizens that navigation on the Danube is currently very dangerous, and that the ecosystem is very endangered.

The problem has its origins back in March and April, when there wasn't enough rainfall.

"There was a deficit in rainfall across Europe. Thus far, the warnings have been in place for a month. Navigation is also very dangerous. It's the worst in the upper part of the Danube (in Serbia), from Bezdan to Novi Sad. Measures are being taken, captains are being warned. Our neighbors, the Romanians and the Hungarians, are also encountering problems," said this hydrologist.

Our interlocutor added that a low water level on the Danube is not unprecedented and happens almost every summer, but this year it is more pronounced and brings major problems, both for navigation and for the ecosystem, which, he pointed out, is very endangered.

"The low water level on the Danube is very dangerous at the moment. We are constantly warning people, we (RHMZ) are the only ones authorized to do so. What happened is that the volume of water is now low, and the temperatures are high and there is not enough oxygen in the water, so the ecosystems will be endangered, the fish," Vladikovic told our portal.

Although this situation is expected to improve in the next five to six days when the water level will rise by 40 centimeters, this will not last, the hydrologist points out.

"After a short improvement, the water is expected to return to this unfavorable level. This will not be solved over the next month. What we recommend is that our citizens follow the warnings issued by official institutions in a timely manner," said Vladikovic, and added that this situation is expected to continue in Serbia until September.

(Telegraf.rs)