Watch: Shipping hit in Elbe river as Germany sizzles in heatwave

Temperatures have been soaring in Germany in the past week with Berlin and areas around Bonn reaching record highs.

Also Read: Europe sizzles in heatwave as wildfire hits Portugal

The hot weather has resulted in a drought-like situation with river Elbe drying up, hitting the shipping industry in the area.

The Elbe's water levels dipped to 49 centimetres on Tuesday afternoon. Freight service has been forced to carry lighter loads as a result. The weather department has predicted more hot weather in the days ahead.

In a startling development, World War II grenades, mines and other weapons covered in mud were discovered on the banks of Elbe in the eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt as water levels dipped

In some places in the last few days the temperature touched 38 degrees as Germans took to ice-cream to relieve themselves as zoo keepers struggled to keep animals cool.

However, the heat and drought meant good news for winemakers who are expecting a bumper harvest. It has also delighted fruit growers with sumptuous plums experiencing "excellent weather".

The heatwave in Germany comes amid generally high temperatures in most of Europe with the UK, Portugal, Greece and Spain feeling the wrath of nature.

In Spain and Portugal temperatures remained at 40-degree celsius. Two people died in Portugal as a result of heatstroke with the weather department forecasting 47-degree celsius in Santarem in central Portugal. Rivers in the Netherlands have also dried up with wheat production coming under severe strain.

Sweden, Poland and Finland are also under the heatwave with temperature soaring to 30-degree celsius in Finland where 19 degrees is normally the average temperature in August.