Water Scarcity in Iraq is More Than a Headline, It is a Death Sentence if Something is Not Done

 

The people of al-Ankour, Iraq are in a state of despair as their once vibrant and flourishing Habbaniyah Lake has become a wasteland amidst the drought-stricken land. The scorching desert heat amplifies the already severe water scarcity, and the toxic waste spewed by factories has made this crisis an environmental disaster that puts the lives of 13,000 innocent locals at risk. With no financial means of escape, the locals languish in helpless misery, as reported by Al Jazeera.

The Euphrates River, the lifeblood of al-Ankour and al-Majar, has been diverted nine months ago in an appalling decision that plunged the local population into a devastating water crisis. Failed attempts to find a new well and depleting freshwater tankers have left the villages with no other option than relying on costly bottled water.

Desperate cries for help have gone unanswered by both local and national authorities, while economic losses mount for fishing communities as their income dries up faster than the lake itself. In his forsaken struggle to survive, former fisherman Firas Mohammed said: “War is better than living in drought and water scarcity.” But tired of waiting for solutions from above, activists like Nooraldeen Adil, Amin Hamid, Samim Salam, and Zaid Mayouf are doing their best to provide some relief with voluntary donations. It's not enough, but it's all they can do in this desperate situation.

The unfolding catastrophe at Habbaniyah Lake paints a disturbing picture of the looming disaster that awaits Iraq. As the Ministry of Water Resources sounds the alarm, seven million Iraqis face their most dire water crisis in a century.

Statistics from the United Nations are even more concerning, with 90% of rivers already contaminated and an alarming projected shortfall of 85% by 2035. Complicating matters is the risk to Iraq's access to water resources from foreign countries, making it essential for both sides to negotiate a peaceful solution.

The crisis in Iraq highlights the shortsightedness of global inaction on climate change - as governments dither, millions of lives hang in the balance. Unless immediate and decisive action is taken, regional instability could lead to calamity on a massive scale.

In this article, Al-Jazeere says the following: 

All the trees have died’: Iraqis face intensifying water crisis

Iraqis struggle to cope with depleted water resources, exacerbated by climate change and disputes with neighbours.