Drought ravages Dhi Qar villages, forcing residents to flee
The once-vibrant communities are now grappling with a drastic decline in water resources, leading to a sharp decrease in livestock and fish populations, and forcing many residents to leave their homes in search of better opportunities.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Once thriving with agriculture and fishing, the villages of Dhi Qar have been devastated by severe drought, leaving behind barren land and a haunting silence.
The once-vibrant communities are now grappling with a drastic decline in water resources, leading to a sharp decrease in livestock and fish populations, and forcing many residents to leave their homes in search of better opportunities.
The drought has triggered a 25% increase in rural-to-urban migration, as residents abandon their villages for cities like Basra, Karbala, and Baghdad.
These areas are now considered in the red zone, facing extreme danger as the water crisis worsens. Villagers, desperate to remain in their homeland, are pleading for government intervention.
“We are suffering from water shortages and have no agriculture,” lamented one resident. “People are migrating, and we ask the government to listen to us instead of thinking only of their own interests.”
Another villager echoed these concerns, saying, “We don’t have water; our crops have been destroyed. We have only a few wells left, and we cannot survive on them. The authorities must stop neglecting us.”
The drought has not only affected the rural areas but has also started to encroach upon towns in the province, including Sayed Dakhil, Fahud, Dawa, and Suq Sheikh. The residents of these areas are urgently calling on the federal government to provide immediate solutions before it’s too late.
Yas Khafaji, spokesperson for the Dhi Qar provincial council, confirmed the dire situation, stating, "These areas are facing severe water shortages, leading to the destruction of fish resources and a significant decrease in livestock. About 10 locations in Dhi Qar province are now in the red zone due to the dangers posed by the drought."
The council has met with the Ministry of Water Resources to discuss the critical threat that the drought presents.
Water scarcity in Dhi Qar has become a pressing issue, causing widespread fear and uncertainty among the local population. The fluctuating water supply has left villagers anxious, as they hope for an increase in their water quota to alleviate the crisis.
However, as the drought continues, the future of these once-prosperous villages remains uncertain, with many residents fearing that their way of life may be lost forever.