Danube Drought Reveals ‘Rock of Starvation’ as River Hits Record Lows

The Danube, Europe’s longest river, is shrinking. Record-low water levels have exposed a legendary boulder in Budapest that locals call the “Rock of Starvation.” For centuries, the rock served as a warning: when it appeared, crops were failing and hunger was near. Now, it has surfaced almost entirely, and Hungary is facing a severe energy crisis. The Guardian traveled 100 miles along the river to see the damage. In some areas, residents are struggling to get clean drinking water. The drought has also destroyed crops and left riverbeds dry enough for cyclists to ride on. The exposed rock sits beneath Gellért Hill in Budapest. Government geologists have been sent to examine it, and they are astonished by how much of it is now visible. The sandy riverbed around it is also fully exposed. The crisis has forced Hungary to shut down all but one of its Danube-cooled nuclear reactors. This is the first time in 44 years that the country has had to take such a step. The situation is unprecedented, and officials are racing to respond as the river continues to fall.