[Anchor]

As the heat wave spills over into droughts, dried-up riverbeds are being exposed everywhere. The situation in Europe is also said to be severe. In France, nearly half of the rivers have seen their water flow cut off, raising red flags not only for farming households but also for electricity production.

Paris Correspondent Kwon Yeongin reports.

[Reporter]

This is the Loire River, the longest river in France.

As water levels drop, the riverbed is vividly exposed here and there, with weeds growing on top of it.

Combined with the heat wave and drought, the water volume of the Loire River has been cut in half in just a month.

Originally, swimming was prohibited here because the water was deep.

However, the water has receded so much now that the level has dropped below the knees.

Sightseeing boats that used to cruise the river have also suspended operations.

[Denis Rimbaud / Tour Boat Operator : Actually, this year it is really impossible to operate the cruise boats. This is truly unprecedented. A drought like this is truly record-breaking.]

It is estimated that 43% of some 3,200 rivers across France, not just the Loire River, have completely dried up or had their water flow cut off due to the drought.

This is double the figure from last year.

Farmers are taking the hardest hit.

The ground in cornfields has cracked open wide, and the corn has withered to a yellow crisp.

Pastures where cattle used to graze have completely disappeared, leaving a severe shortage of feed for livestock.

[Philippe / French Livestock Farmer : Almost 70% to 80% of French livestock farms are facing a severe shortage of feed as grass has disappeared from the pastures. We are having to use up hay meant for the winter in advance, so stockpiles are running short.]

Projections show that France's corn harvest this year will plummet to an all-time low, and the production volume and quality of its specialty wine are also expected to decline significantly.

The drought is threatening city residents as well.

Areas designated as water shortage crisis zones are even barred from watering their home yards and gardens.

In one town with a population of about 6,000, weakened ground from the drought caused cracks to form in some 20 houses, and even the city hall building developed fractures.

[Aurore Caro / Mayor of Meung-sur-Loire : Our residents are very agitated right now. Inquiries are pouring into our city hall asking, "My house is cracking right now, what should we do?"]

In France alone, two nuclear power plants have suspended operations due to a lack of cooling water, and other European countries such as Hungary and Romania are continuing to experience disruptions in electricity production because of the drought.

In particular, a total solar eclipse is even scheduled for this week, which is expected to partially reduce solar power generation as well.

(Video 촬영: Kim Si-nae | Video Editing: Cho Mu-hwan)