STORY: Giant “HELP” and “SOS” signs have appeared on the dried lakebed of Lake Brenets along Switzerland’s border with France, an appeal from an unknown author that reflects growing alarm in a region where a prolonged drought has the well-known tourist destinations almost completely without water.

After nearly four months of exceptionally low rainfall, the River Doubs and Lake Brenets have shrunk to a narrow trickle winding through a vast expanse of exposed lake bed. Tourist boats that once ferried visitors to the scenic Saut du Doubs waterfall have been unable to operate since July 20, while restaurants and local businesses that depend on visitors have seen trade collapse.

“The ‘HELP’ sign somewhat reflects the anxiety of local residents who are watching, powerless, this lake dry up,” Yvan Durig, director of the Lake Brenets Navigation Company, told Reuters on Friday (October 2).

Durig said the lake level stood 14.43 metres below normal on Friday, despite a slight rise after overnight rain. He warned the improvement would be short-lived and that water levels were expected to resume falling in the coming days.

The drought has already surpassed the extreme dry spell of 2018, previously considered a once-in-a-century event, when the lake dropped by 14.11 metres. Durig said the historical record low of 15.35 metres, set in 1906, was likely to be broken next week if forecast rainfall failed to materialise.

The drying of the lake, which scientists and local residents increasingly link to recurring heat and rainfall shortages associated with climate change, has dealt a heavy blow to the local economy. Durig described the situation as “catastrophic” and said political efforts to address recurring droughts had stalled despite studies examining ways to reduce water losses from the karstic terrain beneath the lake.

Local businesses are also struggling. At the Saut-du-Doubs restaurant, waitress Julie Patois said visitor numbers had dwindled dramatically.

“You can definitely feel that the days are quieter,” she said. “Today, during the shift, we didn’t serve a single customer.”

The latest crisis marks the fifth major drought affecting the lake in eight years, raising fears among residents and business owners that what was once an exceptional event is becoming the new normal.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: LES BRENETS, SWITZERLAND (OCTOBER 2, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. (MUTE) VARIOUS OF DRONE SHOTS OF GIANT “SOS” AND “HELP” SIGNS WRITTEN ON THE DROUGHT-STRICKEN DOUBS RIVER AND LAKE BRENETS LAKEBED

2. VARIOUS OF BOATS GROUNDED ON GRASS THAT HAS GROWN ON THE EXPOSED BED OF THE EMPTY LAKE BRENETS

3. (MUTE) VARIOUS OF DRONE SHOTS OF GROUNDED CRUISE BOATS AT SAUT-DU-DOUBS

4. LAKE BRENETS NAVIGATION COMPANY DIRECTOR, YVAN DURIG, ARRIVING AT HIS GROUNDED BOAT

5. SCALE SHOWING THE LEVEL OF THE LAKE IN 2018 AT THE SAUT-DU-DOUBS

6. VARIOUS OF DURIG MEASURING LEVEL OF WATER

7. VARIOUS OF DURIG, IN HIS BOAT, WRITING NEW MEASUREMENT OF THE LAKE

8. (SOUNDBITE) (French) LAKE BRENETS NAVIGATION COMPANY DIRECTOR, YVAN DURIG, SAYING:

“So, currently, the level is at minus 14.43 meters. It rose slightly following the rain we had last night, but it will stabilize fairly quickly and start dropping again over the coming days.”

9. SIGN READING (French): “NAVIGATION SERVICE TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED DUE TO DROUGHT”

10. EXTERIOR OF BOAT COMPANY WELCOME DESK

11. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF GIANT “ “HELP” SIGNS WRITTEN ON THE DROUGHT-STRICKEN DOUBS RIVER AND LAKE BRENETS LAKE BED

12. (SOUNDBITE) (French) LAKE BRENETS NAVIGATION COMPANY DIRECTOR, YVAN DURIG, SAYING:

“Well, yes, it (the ‘HELP’ sign) somewhat reflects the anxiety of local residents who are watching, powerless, this lake dry up.”

13. (MUTE) DRONE SHOTS OF DRIED UP LAKE

14. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF BOATS GROUNDED ON GRASS

15. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF GIANT “SOS” AND “HELP” SIGNS

16. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF BOATS GROUNDED ON GRASS

17. (SOUNDBITE) (French) LAKE BRENETS NAVIGATION COMPANY DIRECTOR, YVAN DURIG, SAYING:

“Look, the situation is becoming catastrophic. We’ve had to halt navigation since July 20th, and essentially, nothing is happening.”

JOURNALIST ASKING (French): “Are you worried about the future of your business?”

DURIG: “Yes, I’m very worried. A task force was set up to try and find solutions to prevent these recurring droughts. A technical feasibility study was conducted, so we have all the information needed to find ways to seal the leaks. But in reality, there’s no movement on the political front; I’d say we’ve been somewhat overlooked in the context of the drought issue.”

18. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF GIANT “HELP” SIGNS

19. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF GRASS ON LAKE BED

20. BOAT PONTOON

21. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF GIANT “HELP” SIGNS

22. VARIOUS OF WAITRESS AT ‘SAUT-DU-DOUBS’ RESTAURANT, JULIE PATOIS, WORKING

23. (SOUNDBITE) (French) WAITRESS AT ‘SAUT-DU-DOUBS’ RESTAURANT, JULIE PATOIS, SAYING:

“You can definitely feel that the days are quieter. Well, for instance, today—during the shift—we didn't serve a single customer, so it’s really complicated right now.”

24. EMPTY TABLES AT ‘SAUT-DU-DOUBS’ RESTAURANT

25. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF GROUNDED BOATS AT SAUT-DU-DOUBS

26. (SOUNDBITE) (French) LAKE BRENETS NAVIGATION COMPANY DIRECTOR, YVAN DURIG, SAYING:

“Look, we are currently surpassing the drought of 2018, a once-in-a-century event, when the level dropped by 14.11 meters. The lake had fallen by 14.11 meters; the all-time low was 15.35 meters, recorded in 1906. However, given the forecast rainfall, we will almost certainly break the 1906 records next week.”

27. DURIG NEAR HIS GROUNDED BOAT / ‘1906’ SIGN CARVED ON THE ROCK DURING THE 1906 DROUGHT TO SHOW THE LEVEL OF THE WATER AT THAT TIME

28. ‘1906’ SIGN CARVED ON THE ROCK

29. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF GROUNDED BOATS AT SAUT-DU-DOUBS

30. (SOUNDBITE) (French) LAKE BRENETS NAVIGATION COMPANY DIRECTOR, YVAN DURIG, SAYING:

“Bear in mind that this is the fifth drought in eight years, and we are struggling to return to normal.”

31. BOATS GROUNDED ON GRASS

32. BOAT BUOY ON DRIED UP LAKE SIDE

33. DRIED UP LAKE SIDE

34. (MUTE) VARIOUS OF DRONE SHOTS OF DRIED UP RIVER

35. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF GIANT “ “HELP” SIGNS

36. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF DRIED UP RIVER