Iraq digs 500 wells to combat water scarcity
The Kurdistan Region has similarly relied on digging wells to cope with water shortages. Authorities in the capital Erbil plan to dig over 130 wells.
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi water authorities have dug at least 500 wells to combat the country's severe water scarcity.
The wells are to provide both irrigation and drinking water, which have been significantly affected by the severe drought Iraq is facing, the spokesperson for Iraq's Ministry of Water Resources, Ali Radhi, told Iraqi News Agency.
More than 100 wells are located in the eastern province of Diyala, where farmland has faced severe water shortages, according to the official.
Known as the Land Between Two Rivers, Tigris and Euphrates, Iraq faces severe drought exacerbated by lack of precipitation and outdated agricultural practices. Turkish and Iranian dam construction have also significantly contributed to the reduction in the water supply.
The Kurdistan Region has similarly relied on digging wells to cope with water shortages. Authorities in the capital Erbil plan to dig over 130 wells.
Iraq is ranked the fifth most vulnerable country to the adverse effects of climate change by the United Nations. Aside from drought, it has recently suffered a series of severe dust storms that hospitalized thousands and grounded flights.