Heatwave causes water shortages in Iran as temps top 50C | Climate Crisis News

Reservoirs of the dams supplying water to Tehran are at the moment at their lowest degree in a century.

Iranian authorities have urged individuals to restrict water consumption because the nation grapples with extreme shortages throughout an ongoing heatwave.

The nationwide meteorological service mentioned Iran is experiencing its hottest week of the yr thus far with temperatures exceeding 50 levels Celsius (122 Fahrenheit) in some areas.

Authorities spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani introduced in a publish on X on Sunday that Tehran province would observe a public vacation on Wednesday due to the continued heatwave.

“In gentle of the continued excessive warmth and the need of conserving water and electrical energy, Wednesday … has been declared a vacation in Tehran province,” she wrote.

Temperatures in Tehran reached 40C (104F) on Sunday with an extra rise to 41C (106F) forecast for Monday, in keeping with meteorological reviews.

Affect of local weather change

Water shortage is a serious problem in Iran, significantly in arid provinces within the nation’s south, with shortages blamed on mismanagement and overexploitation of underground assets, in addition to the rising influence of local weather change.

Tehran metropolis council chair Mehdi Chamran urged individuals to “preserve water to keep away from drops in provides”, in keeping with the ISNA information company.

Authorities throughout Iran have issued comparable appeals in current days, asking residents in a number of provinces to restrict water utilization.

Tehran’s provincial water administration firm referred to as for utilization to be decreased by “a minimum of 20 %” to assist ease the shortages.

In a press release, it mentioned “the reservoirs of the dams supplying water to Tehran are at the moment at their lowest degree in a century”, following years of regular decline in rainfall.

Javan, a conservative newspaper, reported on Saturday that authorities decreased water provides in elements of the capital in a bid to mitigate the disaster, leading to “water outages lasting between 12 and 18 hours” in some areas.

Vitality Minister Abbas Aliabadi apologised on Sunday for decreased water provides, saying the transfer comes “to raised handle assets”.