Heatwave hits south-west Iran as temperatures soar above 50°C
Teheran
Temperatures in the south-western Iranian city of Omidiyeh have soared to 51 degrees Celsius as the country experiences a severe water crisis, the state broadcaster reported on Thursday.
In other cities across the country, maximum temperatures have also exceeded 45 degrees.
Citing a warning from the weather authority, the broadcaster reported that sandstorms and poor air quality are expected in parts of Iran in the coming days.
The heatwave is exacerbating the country's water crisis, with climate experts stating that 80% of reservoirs are nearly empty.
Authorities in numerous cities have ordered forced shutdowns of the water supply. In the capital Tehran, taps have remained dry for hours at a time in recent days.
The oil-rich province of Khuzestan, one of the hottest inhabited regions on Earth, is experiencing increasing power outages and water shortages, making life difficult for residents, especially when air conditioning fails.
In neighbouring countries Pakistan and Iraq, temperatures occasionally rise above 50 degrees.
Iran, one of the driest countries on Earth, has seen a significant decline in rainfall in recent years. Climate researchers have noted an increase in extreme weather events such as droughts and flash floods. Experts say climate change is impacting the country faster and harder than many other regions of the world.
Death Valley, in the eastern Californian desert, is considered the hottest place on Earth. A world record temperature of 56.7 degrees was measured at Greenland Ranch in July 1913, though a scientist in 2016 classified it as meteorologically 'not possible' and suspected a measurement error.
In recent years, Death Valley has regularly recorded extreme temperatures: During a heatwave in 2024, daily maximum temperatures there exceeded 50 degrees.
Satellite measurements from the Lut Desert in Iran recorded ground temperatures of up to 70.7 degrees in 2005. However, since these are not air temperatures, Death Valley remains the official record holder for the highest measured air temperature.
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