Bangkok: Heatwaves and droughts have caused river levels in the Netherlands to drop sharply. Several houseboats in the Netherlands have been stranded on riverbeds that have dried up faster than usual this summer as the country faces an official water shortage. Drone footage revealed some boats and rafts tilting and running aground after water levels in Merge Bay, part of the Vaal River, dropped rapidly. One houseboat resident said the dry season arrived earlier than usual this year, even though they are accustomed to the receding waters and their boats are designed to withstand such conditions.
According to Thai News Agency, this situation arose after the Dutch government officially declared a water shortage situation on Thursday, up from its previous state of a monitoring alert, due to reduced water levels in major rivers flowing into the country and a near lack of rainfall in recent weeks. However, the drought has not yet affected the public's water supply system, but it will cause delays in boat transportation as officials have to reduce the frequency of opening sluice gates to prevent saltwater from flooding into the system.