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Shafaq News
03-08-2025
- Climate
- Shafaq News
From drought to saltwater: Iraq's deepening water crisis
Shafaq News The water's shimmering surface still flickers with a glimmer of hope for Iraq's fishermen, though it is now a meager promise rather than a bounty. Along the banks of the Euphrates River in the city of Kufa, two fishermen haul in their nets, determined to keep their tradition—and their livelihoods—alive despite an unrelenting drought that has throttled Iraq's rivers and lakes. In scenes of perseverance, one fisherman set his nets and another cast them out again, day after day, hoping to catch even a few fish to feed their families. But with water levels shrinking to historic lows, the river's bounty has become a dwindling dream. Drought Deepens Iraq has struggled with water scarcity for years, but the crisis has worsened dramatically in the past four years, pushing the Tigris and Euphrates—lifelines of the nation—to dangerously low levels. Data from the Iraqi Meteorological Authority's December 2024 SPI soil drought index showed 'severe to extreme drought ' across Iraq, with readings between 1.6 and 1.8 above normal thresholds—conditions also affecting much of the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, and Turkiye due to persistently low rainfall. In Basra, the crisis has taken a salty turn. The High Commission for Human Rights office in the city warned that rising salinity, linked to the drought and dwindling river flows, poses grave health and environmental risks to more than three million residents. Mahdi Al-Tamimi, the office's director, described a sharp rise in salinity in Basra city center and surrounding districts, undermining the already strained water supply. 'The small increases from recent water releases have been too limited to prevent worsening salinity,' Al-Tamimi explained to Shafaq News, voicing alarm at the growing threat of kidney failure and other health crises as brackish water infiltrates homes. 'We call on both the federal and local governments to adopt urgent, permanent measures to protect residents from this escalating hazard,' he urged. Al-Tamimi demanded that Basra's local government convene a special session—similar to a recent meeting focused on the Zubair district—to map out a comprehensive plan to mitigate the spread of saline water damage from Al-Madina district in the north to the Faw peninsula in the south. Rivers in Retreat The crisis is compounded by deeper forces; climate change has dried up rainfall across Iraq, making it one of the five countries most at risk globally, according to UN and international climate reports. Meanwhile, upstream water management by Iran and Turkiye has further cut flows to the Tigris and Euphrates. A recent UNDP report singled out Iraq's marshes as some of the hardest-hit ecosystems, warning that the country is losing some 400,000 dunams of farmland every year to climate-related pressures. The long-term outlook is even more dire. The 2019 'Water Stress Index' projected that Iraq could face a future without rivers by 2040, with the twin rivers no longer reaching their final destination at the Gulf.
See - Sada Elbalad
22-05-2025
- Climate
- See - Sada Elbalad
Iraq Records Hottest Temperatures of the Year, Reaching 49°C
H-Tayea Iraq has recorded its highest temperatures of the year so far, with temperatures reaching 49°C (120°F) in two southern provinces, Basra and Maysan, according to the Iraqi Meteorological Authority. The extreme heat comes weeks ahead of summer, signaling an early and intense start to the country's hottest season. In the neighboring Dhi Qar province, temperatures also soared to 48°C, while the capital Baghdad registered 44°C on Tuesday, with forecasts predicting a further rise to 46°C by Friday. 'This is the highest temperature recorded in Iraq this year,' said Amer Al-Jabri, spokesperson for the Meteorological Authority. 'In comparison, May last year experienced relatively milder conditions.' Iraq frequently experiences temperatures above 50°C during peak summer months, especially in July and August, though similar levels have been recorded as early as May in recent years. The country remains one of the five nations most vulnerable to climate change, according to the United Nations. A combination of declining rainfall, prolonged drought, and increasing sandstorms continues to exacerbate Iraq's already extreme heat conditions, posing serious challenges to agriculture, health, and energy infrastructure. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News Egypt confirms denial of airspace access to US B-52 bombers News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia News Australia Fines Telegram $600,000 Over Terrorism, Child Abuse Content Arts & Culture Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's $4.7M LA Home Burglarized Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Sports Neymar Announced for Brazil's Preliminary List for 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Arts & Culture New Archaeological Discovery from 26th Dynasty Uncovered in Karnak Temple Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies
Saba Yemen
30-01-2025
- Climate
- Saba Yemen
Magnitude 4.1 Earthquake Hits Kirkuk Governorate
Baghdad - Saba: An earthquake measuring 4.1 on the Richter scale struck southwest of Kirkuk Governorate in northern Iraq on Thursday, without causing any human or material losses. The Iraqi Meteorological Authority stated in a statement that the epicenter of the earthquake was about 36 kilometers southwest of Kirkuk Governorate, noting that residents felt it. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print more of (International)
