Organisers of the “Rhine in Flames” firework displays have come under heavy criticism for staging the event during this summer’s drought, as water levels in the river continue to drop, APA reports citing The Guardian.
The annual event has become a flashpoint, with climate campaigners and others furious about the fire risk and waste of precious water as the Rhine risks becoming unnavigable.
While local residents have been urged to save water, the fire brigade in Koblenz on the Rhine hosed down slopes in preparation for a major fireworks display, which was staged last weekend against the backdrop of Michael Jackson’s Earth Song.
Rhine in Flames (Rhein in Flammen in German) is a series of firework displays along the Rhine held at various locations between May and September. Two more firework displays are due to be held in September in Oberwesel and St Goar/St Goarshausen.
The Rhine’s level at Emmerich, near the Dutch border, dropped by a further 4cm in 24 hours, hitting zero on the depth gauge. Authorities said the shipping lane itself still has a depth of almost 200cm.
“The ongoing drought and the low water levels threaten the supply security of industry,” said Holger Lösch, deputy head of the BDI business lobby group.
“It’s only a question of time before facilities in the chemical and steel industry have to be switched off, petroleum and construction materials won’t reach their destination, and high-capacity and heavy-goods transports can’t be carried out any more,” he said.
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