Europe drought: German industry at risk as Rhine level falls

By FRANK JORDANS
Associated Press

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s main industry lobby group has warned that factories may have to throttle production or halt it completely because plunging water levels on the Rhine are making it harder to transport cargo on the river. Water levels on the Rhine at Emmerich near the Dutch border hit a record low Tuesday morning. It highlights the extreme lack of water caused by months of drought affecting much of Europe. The deputy head of the business lobby group BDI said that “the ongoing drought and the low water levels threaten the supply security of industry.” He warned that energy supplies could also be further strained as ships carrying coal and gasoline along the Rhine are affected.