Serbia’s largest salt lake has disappeared from the face of the earth

This year’s heatwave in the Balkans has been exceptionally long and intense. For several days, daytime temperatures in parts of southern Europe have exceeded 40 degrees Celsius. Local authorities are asking people to stay indoors, and emergency services are fighting forest fires. As a result of the high temperatures in Serbia, Lake Rossanda has dried up for the first time in history.

Lake Rušanda, located in northern Serbia, is the largest saltwater lake in the country. The reservoir has become very popular with locals and tourists due to the healing properties of the mud at the bottom of the reservoir. The mud has been used for medicinal purposes, including treating muscle inflammation, rheumatism and accident injuries, since the 19th century. Now only pools remain of the huge lake.

“At first the lake turned into a wetland, then the mud disappeared,” said 72-year-old Sava, who lives near Rossanda.

Weather forecasts suggest the heatwave sweeping across southern Europe will continue for at least a few more days. The World Bank estimates that the Eastern Balkan countries (Albania, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia) need to invest nearly $37 billion over the next decade to protect communities from the effects of heatwaves.