Only 18 centimeters: The river that crosses Warsaw decreased to a minimum record due to drought – video
The Vistula river decreased in the area of the capital of Poland, Warsaw, to a minimum record. Photo: Omar Marques / AFP / Profimedia
The level of Vistula, the longest river in Poland, which crosses Warsaw and Krakow, has reached the lowest registered level, announced the National Institute of Meteorology (IMGW) on Friday, as a result of the drought that affects this whole country in Eastern Europe, AFP reports.
In Warsaw, the capital of the country, a hydrometric station measured the level of the Vistula to only 18 centimeters, with two centimeters below the previous record established in 2024, says IMGW.
According to estimates, the level of the Vistula could continue to decrease and reach 12 centimeters, 2 meters below the usual average.
The Vistula River in Warsaw Has Has a Record Low Water Levels and Could Drop Further Amid a Severe Heatwave, An Expert Says https://t.co/duqvk75a pic.twitter.com/yqf6fyzuf5
– Reuters (@reuters) JULY 5, 2025
“I have not known such a severe drought during this time of year from the first measurements ever made,” Grzegorz Walijewski, hydrologist at IMGW told AFP.
It attributes this situation to climatic changes, mentioning the increase in temperatures and lowering precipitation as the main causes of decreased water level in Vistula.
This record was reached one day after an episode of heat in Warsaw, where the temperatures reached almost 36 ° C, within an important heat horse that included much of Europe.
According to Grzegorz Walijewski, drought has repercussions on the entire Polish economy: it affects the agricultural yield and determines the increase of food prices.
“It is undoubtedly a European and, in many cases, worldly problem,” Walijewski warned.
