Warsaw, Sep 9 (IANS): The water level of the Vistula, Poland's longest river, has reached a new low as much of the country experiences drought conditions due to a persistent heatwave and reduced rainfall, the Polish Institute of Meteorology and Water Management (IMGW) reported on Monday.

IMGW reported a lowest water level of 25 cm at the Bulwary Wislane station on the Vistula in central Warsaw on Sunday. However, a new record low of 24 cm was recorded on Monday, according to the Polish Press Agency. The IMGW forecasts indicate that the Vistula's water level could continue to decline in the coming days.

At the Nadwilanowka station on the Vistula in southern Warsaw, the water level fell to 57 cm on Monday. Before this summer, the previous lowest level recorded at the station was 68 cm in 2022, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Vistula, Poland's longest and most important waterway, flows notably through the country's second-largest city Krakow as well as the capital, Warsaw.

IMGW reported that low water levels were recorded at 71 percent of Poland's hydrological stations, with 295 stations -- nearly half of the total -- indicating hydrological drought. Currently, 13 of the 16 provinces are experiencing low water levels.

IMGW warned on Friday that the fire danger is classified as extremely high across the country. The unusually high temperatures, ranging from 12 to 13 degrees Celsius above the September average, are attributed to a massive high-pressure system that has been directing hot air into central Europe.