Low water levels mean Rhine is days from being shut for cargo

Businesses along the river say drought means they are on the verge of having to shut production

Germany's Rhine, one of Europe's key waterways, is just days away from being closed to commercial traffic because of very low levels caused by drought, authorities and industry have warned.

Crucially, the impending crisis could lead energy companies to cut their output, one of the country's biggest gas companies has said.