Lebanon's worst drought on record drains largest reservoir
The Litani River National Authority said inflows to Lake Qaraoun during this year's wet season did not exceed 45 million cubic meters, a fraction of the 350 million cubic meters annual average.
Last year, the figure stood at 230 million. The water currently available in Lake Qaraoun — around 61 million cubic meters — was unusable due to severe pollution, the authority said.
'There were dry years in 1989, 1990 and 1991, but this year is the driest,' said Sami Alawieh, head of the river authority. 'We are facing a water scarcity problem across all Lebanese territories and water basins.'
Drone footage of Lake Qaraoun shows a dramatically receded shoreline, exposing cracked earth and dead vegetation.
Lebanon's hydroelectric plants tied to the Litani basin have been shut down, Alawieh said, causing financial losses and intensifying electricity rationing by Electricite du Liban.
'We have two factors: the decline in rainfall and the pressure on groundwater,' he said.
A study by the authority found climate warming and shifting weather patterns have contributed to more frequent dry seasons and higher temperatures, exacerbating soil moisture loss and reducing the recharging of groundwater reservoirs.
The state utility has slashed supply in some areas from 20 hours a day to as little as 10.
In the fertile area around Qaraoun village, in the Bekaa Valley, farmers were already feeling the impact.
'I have never seen such drought or scarcity of rain as this year,' said Safa Issa. 'We used to get snow up to a meter high. Now, it's been 10 years since we've seen any.'
The strain has been compounded by erratic supply of electricity needed to run irrigation systems.
'You irrigate for three hours, then stop for three,' said Fayez Omais, another local farmer.
Suzy Hoayek, an adviser to the Ministry of Energy and Water in Beirut, said a nationwide awareness campaign to reduce consumption would be launched within 10 days.
'The most important thing is to manage demand,' she said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
9 hours ago
- Arab News
Heat wave hits water, electricity supplies across much of Iran
TEHRAN: A severe heat wave sweeping Iran has disrupted water and electricity supplies in much of the country, with reservoir levels falling to their lowest in a century, state media said on Tuesday. Extreme temperatures, which began on Friday, are expected to ease gradually by Thursday. Government offices in at least 15 of Iran's 31 provinces, including the capital Tehran, have been ordered to close on Wednesday in a bid to conserve water and electricity. The measure comes as temperatures in parts of southern and southwestern Iran topped 50 degrees Celsius. Government spokeswoman Fatemeh MoHajjerani said authorities would extend office closures 'if it deems necessary,' while warning of the 'critical situation' in Tehran regarding water supplies. The heat wave has been accompanied by drought, with the capital experiencing its lowest rainfall in 60 years. Water levels in the reservoirs which supply Tehran have fallen to 'their lowest level in a century,' said the Tehran Provincial Water Supply Company, advising people to use a tank and pump to cope with mains disruption. Tehran provincial governor, Mohammad Sadegh Motamedian said the dams are only filled to 14 percent, adding that the capital is going through its fifth year of drought. Many residents reported water supply cuts lasting several hours. 'It's not just the heat — there's also no electricity and no water,' said Moini, a 52-year-old housewife from Tehran. 'Our whole lives have basically fallen apart.' Many Iranian newspapers carried photographs of the low reservoir levels on their front pages on Tuesday.
Arab News
19 hours ago
- Arab News
Tourists and laborers seek respite as Greece and Balkans gripped by heatwave
ATHENS: Laborers were pausing outdoor work and tourists seeking out shade on Tuesday as Greece sweltered under its third heatwave of the summer and soaring temperatures gripped the wider Balkan region, fueling wildfires in Albania. Situated at Europe's southernmost tip, Greece, which attracts dozens of millions of tourists every year, has always had hot and dry summers. But in recent years climate change has led to longer and more severe heatwaves, as well as destructive floods and wildfires. Couriers, food delivery riders and builders in the wider area of the Greek capital Athens and other regions were among those ordered to pause work from midday until 5 p.m., as the mercury was expected to climb as high as 43 degrees Celsius, the labor ministry said. Workers with underlying health issues were advised to work remotely to avoid heat stress. Outside the parliament building in central Athens, a soldier used a towel to wipe the sweat from the face of a presidential guard. Tourists in Athens, one of the most densely populated capitals in Europe sitting on a plain flanked by mountains, sought out air-conditioned restaurants and stores, and some said they were staying inside in the middle of the SHUT Authorities announced that the Acropolis, which sits on a rocky hill offering barely any shade and is Greece's most visited ancient site, would be closed for five hours from midday on Tuesday and Wednesday, a common step when temperatures soar. The heatwave will continue until Sunday, the Greek meteorological service said. Scorching heat also gripped neighboring Bulgaria on Tuesday, with authorities urging businesses to give away water and cut physical labor during high-risk Montenegro, major roads were congested as many rushed to the beaches to find relief from the heat. In Albania, firefighters assisted by four aircraft from Italy and Greece battled two wildfires at a national park in the north and near the southwestern village of Dukat. Last month, large parts of Western Europe sweltered in another severe heatwave that left many dead and triggered forest fires and health alerts across the region. Across the globe, 2024 was the warmest year on record, with temperatures exceeding 1.5 Celsius above the pre-industrial era for the first time. Research published last week showed that the soil surface temperature around Athens rose in some places by as much as 10 degrees Celsius since July 2024 after fires destroyed vegetation.
Asharq Al-Awsat
21 hours ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Flash Floods Kill 3 Tourists and Leave 15 Missing in Northern Pakistan
Flash floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains swept away several vehicles carrying tourists in northern Pakistan, killing at least three people and leaving 15 others missing, officials said on Tuesday. Pakistani rescue officials say the above-normal monsoon rains since June 26 have killed at least 225 people and injured more than 500 across the country. Experts say climate change is driving an increase in extreme weather events in the region. A cloudburst caused floods and landslides on Monday, stranding more than 200 local tourists after a key highway near the northern Chilas district was blocked, said Faizullah Faraq, a government spokesperson in the Gilgit-Baltistan region. Army helicopters were used in the evacuation, which included women and children, he said. Several vehicles had been buried under the rubble of landslides and rescuers are using heavy machinery to find the missing tourists and residents, Faraq said. Three bodies have been recovered. The National Disaster Management Authority issued an updated flood days before, warning against travel to northern areas due to potential landslides and blocked roads. Earlier this month, authorities warned they cannot rule out a repeat of extreme weather like the 2022 floods that submerged a third of the country and killed 1,737 people.
