Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Taps may run dry in this country, where the water crisis is so severe
it can be seen from space
Iran, mostly a semi-arid country, has been in drought for six years, the
worst drought for four decades. The main water reservoirs around Tehran, Iran’s
capital, where around 15 million live in its metropolitan area, are only around
11% full, and about 10% of the nation’s dams are almost dry. Warshippers are
making a desperate plea in mosques, and airplanes are flying to seed clouds by
injecting chemicals to induce rain, but to no avail so far. The country has
been extracting much more water from rivers, lakes, wetlands, and underground aquifers
at a much faster pace than they are replenished, mainly to irrigate farmland to
achieve food self-sufficiency. Besides the drought and warming temperatures, the
increasing population, leaky water infrastructure, and poor management are also
to blame. The president has warned the residents of the capital of water
rationing and possible evacuation from the city. But where to go?
Read the article and learn how serious Tehran’s drought is now.
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