Serbia declares emergency over historic low Danube water levels

Danube historic low emergency declaration Vojvodina water system fuel logistics heat wave

The Danube fell to a historic low of minus 127 cm, prompting the provincial emergency board in Vojvodina to declare a state of emergency for the towns of Sombor, Kula and Vrbas. The board, chaired by provincial government president Maja Gojković, allocated 270 million dinars for urgent works to keep the Danube‑Tisa‑Danube water system operational, with the funds directed to the public water company Vode Vojvodine.

Interior Minister Ivica Dačić led the Republic Emergency Board meeting, ordering coordinated action across ministries. Measures include deepening inlet channels, removing sediment, using mandatory diesel stocks, protecting water supplies for irrigation and drinking, safeguarding the Đerdap hydro‑plant (now operating at about one‑third of its normal output), and ensuring navigation. Authorities also limited outdoor work during peak heat (35‑40 °C), deployed drones for monitoring, and warned against non‑essential water use.

The low water has cut river transport capacity to 30‑40 % of normal, reducing fuel imports to 20‑25 % of planned volumes. Tourism was affected, with tourists evacuated from a boat in Bulgaria and fifteen vessels stranded in Hungary. Fisheries, agriculture and energy production face ongoing threats across Serbia and neighboring Danube states.

Entities: Danube River · Ivica Dačić · JVP Vode Vojvodine · Kula · Maja Gojković · Sombor · Vode Vojvodine · Vode Vojvodine (Public Water Company) · Vojvodina · Vojvodina Provincial Government · Vrbas · Đerdap hydro‑power plant

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 3 SOURCES] River transport of fuel is operating at 30‑40% of normal capacity due to low Danube water levels. (logistics disruption)
[○ 1 SOURCE] Companies must replenish the released diesel volumes once river transport conditions normalize. (Ministry of Mining and Energy)
[○ 1 SOURCE] Record‑low Danube levels exposed historic shipwrecks from 1937 and 1944. (Reporters on site)
[● 3 SOURCES] Fuel imports fell to 20‑25% of planned volumes because reduced barge capacity limited river transport. (fuel import reduction)
[● 2 SOURCES] Serbia authorized oil companies to temporarily use mandatory operational diesel stocks to offset reduced river deliveries. (Ministry of Mining and Energy)
[● 2 SOURCES] Low water caused boats to become stranded and negatively affected tourism and fisheries along the Danube. (Local reporters)
[● 3 SOURCES] Đerdap hydro‑power plant is producing about one‑third of its usual daily average output. (energy production impact)
[○ 1 SOURCE] Irrigation was temporarily halted on parts of the Danube–Tisa–Danube canal network because of low water levels. (Public Waterworks ‘Vode Vojvodine’)
[DISPUTED] Maja Gojković chaired the emergency board meeting that declared the situation. (reported)
[● 7 SOURCES] An emergency was declared for Sombor, Kula and Vrbas due to low Danube water level. (emergency declaration)
[● 9 SOURCES] Danube water level reached a historic minimum of minus 127 centimetres. (historic low water level)
[DISPUTED] Interior Minister Ivica Dačić chaired the Republic Emergency Board meeting and ordered agencies to act. (government leadership)