Iraq's Diyala: Mandali's orchards rehydrated
Water has returned to the orchards of Mandali district in eastern Diyala after years of severe drought, local officials reported on Sunday.
Ali Dhamad al-Zuhairi, the district administrator, told Shafaq News Agency that Mandali's renowned orchards — spanning over 5,000 dunams — had suffered extreme water shortages, forcing farmers to depend on wells often unfit for agriculture.
He blamed the crisis on illegal river encroachments and broken pumping stations, clarifying that authorities have reopened and cleared four key rivers — Al-Jinni, Falshet, Souq, and Bagh — restoring water flow and reviving the parched groves.
Mandali's orchards are prized for rare fruits, dates, and distinctive varieties such as Qarunfal, Mir Haj, and Jaafari, considered among the world's best, al-Zuhairi said, predicting that improved irrigation would boost production and help safeguard these farmlands from collapse.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Shafaq News
16 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Critical water shortage: Mosul Dam reserves hit an alarming low
Shafaq News – Mosul Iraq's Mosul Dam is facing an unprecedented and critical decline in water storage due to prolonged drought and a sharp drop in inflows, a weather expert warned on Friday. Speaking to Shafaq News Agency, meteorologist Sadeq Al-Attiyah stated that the dam has lost over half of its water reserves within just one year, plunging from 8 billion cubic meters to around 3 billion. 'This sharp decline reflects the gravity of the current situation,' he cautioned. Al-Attiyah pointed to a recently published animated graphic that clearly illustrates the dramatic loss in the dam's upper reservoir, underscoring the speed and scale of the drop in storage levels. While Iraq's Ministry of Water Resources recently announced that Turkiye has increased water releases into Iraq to 130 cubic meters per second—up from 60—the ministry acknowledged that the current volume remains insufficient to meet the country's actual river needs. Earlier, Ramadan Hamza, an expert in water resource policy and strategy, told Shafaq News that Iraq is unlikely to benefit substantially from the increased Turkish releases.
Shafaq News
18 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Basra leads: 6 Iraqi cities among world's hottest
Shafaq News - Basra Basra province, along with five other Iraqi regions, ranked among the 15 hottest places on Earth over the past 24 hours, according to the Placerville weather station in California. Basra International Airport topped the list with a scorching 48.2°C (118.8°F), marking the highest recorded temperature on Earth during the period. It was followed by Adrar in Algeria at 47.9°C, and Béni Abbès (referred to as Bedoun 5) in Algeria at 47.6°C. In Salah, also in Algeria, came fourth with 47.5°C, while Omidiyeh in Iran ranked fifth with the same temperature. Amarah, in southeastern Iraq, came sixth, registering 47.3°C. Ahvaz in Iran and the Al-Hussein neighborhood in Basra followed in seventh and eighth place, respectively, both recording 47.1°C. The Iranian city of Abadan ranked ninth with 47.0°C, while Al-Ahsa in Saudi Arabia came in tenth at 46.8°C. Kuwait International Airport also recorded 46.8°C, placing it eleventh on the list. Nasiriyah in southern Iraq was ranked twelfth with 46.8°C, followed by Tikrit in central Iraq, also at 46.8°C. Qarn Alam in Oman was fourteenth with 46.7°C, and Karbala in central Iraq rounded out the list in fifteenth place with 46.6°C.
Shafaq News
2 days ago
- Shafaq News
Firefighting crews contain most Lattakia wildfires
Shafaq News – Lattakia On Thursday, Syrian emergency teams gained near-total control over wildfires raging in northern Lattakia province, with only two inaccessible hotspots remaining in the mountainous Turkmen region. Syria's Minister of Emergency and Disaster Management, Raed al-Saleh, reported that cooling operations began at 4 am after the main fire centers were brought under control. However, strong winds reignited flames in several areas. One fire zone lies in an isolated valley reachable only by air, while the second is on a landmine-contaminated mountainside that witnessed several explosions earlier today, though no injuries were reported among firefighting personnel. The minister confirmed ongoing coordination with European countries and Iraq for aerial support, noting that Turkiye responded most swiftly, deploying 12 firefighting planes, specialized vehicles, and ground crews.
