Translated from Dutch:

Never before has there been so little water flowing through the Rhine as there is now. Due to this worrying drought, Rijkswaterstaat has ordered the Rhine to be replenished. Firefighting helicopters from the Ministry of Defence will be deployed for this purpose.

“We do not expect to see any change in the rainfall pattern over the coming days,” says Martin Wijnen of Rijkswaterstaat. “That is why it is essential to keep the Rhine extra moist. We are pleased that the Ministry of Defence is willing to do its bit with a Chinook transport helicopter.”

Residents of towns such as Alphen aan de Rijn are also being asked to do their bit. “We’re asking residents to take shorter showers and pour the water they save into the Rhine,” says Wijnen. “People can also help by watering the Rhine instead of their gardens.”

The persistent drought is also causing problems at the Rhine’s tributaries. Hundreds of campsite guests have now been evacuated due to a lack of recreational lakes.