NPR.

This is the indicator from planet money.

I'm Whalen Wong.

And I'm Paddy Hirsch.

Europe is having a tough time right now.

There's a war going on right on its doorstep.

Its main source of fuel, Russian gas is in danger of being cut off.

And it's suffering from one of the worst drites the region has experienced in as much as 500

years.

And this is no ordinary drought.

It's so severe that it's causing blackouts and wildfires, it's threatening crops and

livestock, disrupting nuclear power plants, menacing historic buildings and drying up

the continent's waterways.

Yeah, water levels have actually dropped so low in some rivers that they've uncovered

these so-called hunger stones.

These are rocks laid centuries ago during periods of severe drought and they're inscribed

with legends like, Ben Dum exist, Dan Weiner.

If you see me, then weep.

Is there a German word for, you know, a catastrophic climate anxiety?

I'm sure there is, but it's probably a really, really long word and I couldn't pronounce

it anyway.

Today we're going to take a look at Europe's drought.

...