Between devotion and drought: Karbala braces for Arbaeen under strain

Shafaq News

21-07-2025

Shafaq News
Karbala, one of Iraq's most sacred cities, is struggling with intensifying shortages in water and electricity as it prepares to host millions of pilgrims for the Arbaeen commemoration next month. With temperatures soaring and infrastructure under strain, both residents and officials have raised concerns about the city's readiness to accommodate the massive influx.
Home to around 1.3 million people and covering nearly 5,000 square kilometers, Karbala annually becomes the focal point of one of the world's largest religious gatherings. The Arbaeen pilgrimage, which falls on Friday, August 15 this year, marks the 40th day after Ashura and commemorates the martyrdom of Imam Hussein Ibn Ali, the third Iman for Shia Islam.
In 2023, the city received more than 22 million pilgrims; last year, close to 21 million arrived, many traveling on foot for days. Similar figures are expected this year.
But as preparations move forward, the city is reeling under basic service disruptions. 'Karbala is going through one of its worst periods due to electricity shortages and water scarcity,' warned MP Jawad al-Yasiri, who represents the province, in a briefing with Shafaq News. He explained that while a parliamentary committee had been formed to improve services during Arbaeen, no tangible progress has been made.
The most recent crisis stemmed from a malfunction in a pipeline linked to a major water project, triggering a sharp drop in supply. The situation was further exacerbated by diminishing water levels in both the Al-Husseiniya River and the Euphrates—Karbala's primary water sources—combined with high evaporation and increasing demand during the summer heat.
MP Zuhair al-Fatlawi, also from Karbala, emphasized to Shafaq News the national scale of the issue. 'The electricity crisis is not limited to Karbala; it affects most provinces.' With Iranian electricity imports decreasing and domestic demand spiking, the system has come under enormous stress.
'In Karbala, efforts are underway to boost supply by connecting additional power lines through the Middle Euphrates Distribution Directorate,' he continued.
Water scarcity, meanwhile, mirrors a deeper national challenge. Iraq's reserves have shrunk to 90 billion cubic meters, down from more than 350 billion in previous decades. The Ministry of Water Resources is currently releasing around 740 cubic meters per second, while inflows from upstream countries are less than 300.
'Iran has halted releases completely, while inflows from Turkiye and Syria are insufficient,' al-Fatlawi elaborated, warning that 'Without capable negotiators and long-term agreements, Iraq might one day need to offer oil in exchange for water.'
Public Discontent
Across Karbala, residents have begun to voice frustration. In one district, Umm Ali described to our agency how essential services have ground to a halt. 'There has been a complete water outage in our area for two days,' she reported, highlighting that 'With continuous power cuts and extreme heat, people are now buying drinking water just to get by.'
She also accused local authorities of neglecting peripheral areas, stating that 'We keep hearing promises of better services, but nothing changes.''
'The local government is absent and does not respond to our complaints,' she added, warning that growing discontent could soon boil over into protest.
However, officials have sought to reassure the public. Mohammed al-Masoudi, a member of Karbala's Provincial Council, clarified to Shafaq News that recent power outages are temporary and tied to infrastructure upgrades.
'These cuts are linked to new electricity projects being finalized in preparation for the Arbaeen pilgrimage,' he noted, pointing out that Karbala's water share has been officially increased. 'The enhanced releases began yesterday and will continue rising from 1 Safar (Sunday, July 27), reaching their peak by 7 Safar (Saturday, August 2). We expect no water shortage during Arbaeen.'
While local authorities insist that services will stabilize before the pilgrimage, pressure is mounting. Welcoming millions of pilgrims demands coordination across transport, health, security, and essential utilities—yet even water and electricity remain uncertain.