(8 Aug 2003)
Prahovo
1. Danube river in Prahovo near Romanian border with low waters
2. Remnants of Nazi warship from WWII jutting above the water lever
3. Pan of wreck in the water
4. Dried-up river bank
5. Barges anchored in the river waiting higher waters to cross the dam
6. Wreck visible over water
7. "Djerdap" hydroelectric power dam swimmers
Belgrade
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Srdja Popovic, advisor for ecology in the cabinet of Serbian Premier
"Yes the water level is very low. It is the lowest ever recorded in Serbia. I mean back to 19th century we have some records of water levels in July and we did not find the lowest level. It is a huge risk in three different areas: First, very important thing is of course agriculture and melioration systems which are dry. Together with the draught it produces massive harm to agriculture. Second, high temperature of waters and low grade of present oxygen is a huge
danger for the fish especially and we already had some incidents in smaller rivers especially in Vojvodina. And third, we must do something with wetlands surrounding rivers which are protected areas with rare types of forest and
birds. Because of low water levels they are left without connection with the Danube waters."
9. Boat restaurant stranded on dried-up river bank
10. Close up numbers showing water level on ship's bow
11. Close up cracked earth on the river bank
13. People swimming in the river
14. Mid shot people swimming in the Danube
15. People on the river island made bigger by low levels of water
16. Various Belgrade downtown shot from the opposite side of the Danube river
STORYLINE:
The wreckage of sunken Nazi warships has resurfaced along a stretch of the Danube River in eastern Serbia as the major European waterway has receded to an unprecedented low amid a heat wave and drought.
The rusty 60-year-old remnants of several warships, believed to parts of the Germany's Black Sea Fleet, have begun protruding in recent days above the surface of the normally wide and deep river near the eastern Serbian town of Prahovo, 180 kilometres (110 miles) east of the capital, Belgrade.
In the stretch where the ships have surfaced, the river has fallen several metres (yards).
It now stands at barely three metres (10 feet), as Europe experiences one of its worst heat waves in decades.
Srdja Popovic, advisor for ecology in the cabinet of Serbian Premier, said the river was at the lowest level ever recorded.
In normal times the river is 15 metres (50 feet) deep in some places, but it wasn't immediately clear what the normal levels are in the area the wreckage has surfaced.
The vessels are believed to have been scuppered by retreating German troops to hamper the movement of Soviet forces in the final stages of World War II.
The lower water level has also hampered navigation throughout the region and is threatening wildlife which relies on the river system for survival.
The region's agriculture is also suffering as water levels drop and irrigation systems fail to provide water for crops.
But as temperatures rise the people of Belgrade are making the most of the river's remaining water to swim and cool off.
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