The Ouarkziz crater, Algeria

The Waal, in eastern Netherlands, is the largest Dutch branch of the Rhine and an important inland shipping route. Prolonged dry conditions across the Rhine basin have reduced flows to exceptionally low levels, with the Netherlands in a water shortage situation since 16 July 2026.

The Murzuq and Ubari Sand Seas are major dune fields in the Sahara Desert in south-western Libya. Their extensive dune systems surround rocky plateaus and escarpments, creating a marked contrast between sand, exposed bedrock, and sparse vegetation. 

Wexford Harbour, a natural harbour in County Wexford on the south-east coast of Ireland, lies at the mouth of the River Slaney, where the river flows into the Irish Sea. The area includes extensive tidal flats, sandbanks, coastal wetlands, agricultural land, and the town of Wexford. 

On 6 August 2026 a major wildfire broke out near Niebla, in the province of Huelva, southern Spain. After more than a week of firefighting operations, authorities declared the blaze stabilised on 16 August. The affected area exceeds 33,000 hectares, making it the second-largest wildfire recorded in Andalusia.

Lake Velence, Hungary’s third-largest lake, located southwest of Budapest, is affected by record-low water levels following prolonged dry conditions. By 1 August 2026, its water level fell below the previous historic minimum, and on 16 August the Agárd gauge recorded values of around 20 cm.