Weeks of drought across Europe, the United States and China have caused water levels in rivers and lakes to drop to levels few remember, exposing longsunken treasures and some unwanted dangers.
- Drought Reveals CenturyOld Buddhist Statues In China; watch video
- “Spanish Stonehenge” emerges from a droughtstricken dam
In Spain, which is suffering from its worst drought in decades, archaeologists have rejoiced at the appearance of a prehistoric stone circle dubbed the “Spanish Stonehenge,” often covered by water from a dam.
The stone circle, officially known as the Dolmen of Guadalperal, currently occupies its entirety in a corner of the Valdecanas reservoir in the central province of Cáceres, where the water level has dropped to 28% of its capacity, according to officials.
It was discovered by German archaeologist Hugo Obermaier in 1926, but the area was flooded in 1963 as part of a rural development project under the Francisco Franco dictatorship. Since then it has only been fully visible four times.
1 of 5 Guadalperal dolmens rise from the Taju River in Spain — Photo: Susana Vera/Portal
The Guadalperal dolmen emerges from the Taju River in Spain — Photo: Susana Vera/Portal
Hunger Stones in Germany
The memory of past droughts was also revived in Germany with the reappearance of the socalled “hunger stones” along the Rhine. Many of these stones have become visible on the banks of the largest river in recent weeks.
With dates and people’s initials, its reappearance is seen by some as a warning of the hardships people faced during ancient droughts. The years visible on the stones from Worms south of Frankfurt and from Rheindorf near Leverkusen include the years 1947, 1959, 2003 and 2018.
2 of 5 On the Děčín hunger stone it says in German: “If you see me, then cry” — Photo: Bernd Gross/CCBYSA3.0DE
On the Děčín hunger stone it says in German: “If you see me, then cry” — Photo: Bernd Gross/CCBYSA3.0DE
World War II ships in Serbia
Meanwhile, the Danube has dropped to one of its lowest levels in nearly a century as a result of the drought, exposing the remains of more than 20 German warships that sank near the Serbian port of Prahovo during World War II.
The ships were among the hundreds of ships sunk along the Danube.
3 of 5 wrecks of WWII German ships surface as Danube River dries up in Serbia — Photo: Portal/Fedja Grulovic
Wreckage of German ships from World War II appears with the drought of the Danube in Serbia — Photo: Portal/Fedja Grulovic
World War II bomb in Italy
Italy declared a state of emergency in areas near the Po River, and in late July a 450kilogram World War II bomb was discovered buried in the shallows of the country’s longest river.
On Lake Garda, also in Italy, the rocky bottom has become a new beach, a bed of rocks created due to the lack of rain and the constant use of water to irrigate agricultural fields in summer.
Dinosaur footprints in the United States
The drought has also hit the United States. Rivers in Dinosaur Valley State Park in the state of Texas were hit. At the lowest level, you could see that there are dinosaur footprints in the bed that are about 113 million years old.
4 of 5 dinosaur footprints on a Texas riverbed at Dinosaur Valley State Park — Photo: Reproduction/Dinosaur Valley State Park Friends
Dinosaur footprints on a river bed in Texas, at Dinosaur Valley State Park — Photo: Reproduction/Dinosaur Valley State Park Friends
Buddhist statues in China
A river drought in China has uncovered a sunken island and three Buddhist statues that may have been erected 600 years ago.
The water level in the Yangtze River has dropped rapidly due to drought and a heatwave in the southwest of the country.
About 66 rivers in Chongqing’s 34 counties have dried up, state broadcaster CCTV reported.
5 of 5 Three submerged Buddhist statues emerged after a drop in water levels in the Yangtze River, China — Photo: Portal/Thomas Peter
Three submerged Buddhist statues surfaced after a drop in water levels in the Yangtze River in China (Photo: Portal/Thomas Peter)