The Western Balkans are facing a severe drought after a heat wave hit the region, disrupting daily life and causing problems in agriculture and energy, writes the American news agency, the Associated Press.
Temperatures in central Albania reached 40°C (104°F) on Thursday and meteorologists warned that there would be little rainfall until September. Rivers are almost dry due to a lack of precipitation during the winter and spring.
High temperatures have prompted Albanian authorities to help local agriculture with irrigation networks. A project to draw water from the Mat River in the north to help irrigate about 4,000 hectares (9,885 acres) of farmland in the area was completed on Tuesday.
It has also had a negative impact on Albania's energy production, which mainly comes from hydroelectric power plants in the north of the country. The national energy corporation spent up to 60 million euros ($70 million) on importing energy in the first half of this year.
Serbia's state meteorological institute has warned that "extreme drought" is affecting the country's agricultural crops, while water levels in rivers and lakes have dropped.
Small towns and villages across Serbia are also facing limitations in drinking water supplies.
In Kosovo, a water shortage closed an outdoor swimming pool in the capital, Pristina, which was used by people to cool off during the summer heat.
The Gërmia swimming pool on the outskirts of the city was built in the late 1980s as a recreational destination and is considered one of the largest on the continent. At this time last year, the pool was receiving between 4,000 and 5,000 visitors a day.
Germia Park, known for its natural beauty and recreational opportunities, is nestled among hills and mountains that provide natural water sources for the pool. But this year, pool staff have been unable to secure the 20,000 cubic meters (5.3 million gallons) of water needed.
In past years, it has taken six days to fill the pool, but this year it will take more than three weeks due to the drought, said manager Bardh Krasniqi.
"Due to the severe heat wave that is currently affecting the country and also the region, unfortunately we have not managed to open the largest swimming pool in the country," said Krasniqi.
As temperatures were expected to reach 35°C (95°F) on Thursday, the Institute of Health urged people to stay out of direct sunlight and warned that children, the elderly and anyone who is sick should stay home.
In Bosnia, temperatures in the southern city of Mostar reached 41°C (105.8°F) on Thursday, with streets almost completely empty in the scorching heat.
During Europe's heatwave last week, scorching temperatures reached 46.6°C (115.9°F) in Mora, Portugal. Forest fires are common in the region during hot, dry summers.
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