52.8°C And Rising: Iran's Deadly Heatwave Sparks 'Irreversible' Water Crisis
Iran faces its hottest week with temperatures above 50°C as authorities urged water conservation and declared emergency holidays.
Iranian authorities called on the public to curb water consumption as the country faced its hottest week of the year and a deepening water crisis. With temperatures soaring above 50°C in most parts of the country, officials declared emergency holidays, reduced water supplies in some regions and begun negotiations with neighbouring countries to import water.
According to Iran's national meteorological service, the southwestern city of Shabankareh recorded a staggering temperature of 52.8°C- potentially the hottest temperature globally so far this year. Other cities, including Abadan and Ahwaz, also reported extreme highs, while the capital Tehran reached 41°C.
The soaring temperatures come amid a prolonged five-year drought that has pushed Iran's water infrastructure to its limits. Hundreds of dams built since the 1950s have seen reduced output further straining water and electricity supplies. Abbas Aliabadi, Iran's minister of energy, said that the government is in talks with Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan to explore options for importing water.
Power cuts have become increasingly frequent due to the heat and depleted water reservoirs needed for hydroelectric energy. Iran government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani announced a public holiday for Wednesday in Tehran province to help conserve power and water.
A Tehran resident told The Guardian that the heat has become physically unbearable. He said, 'I feel the skin is going to burn. My shirt gets wet so quickly and I prefer to take a shower twice a day at this age amidst severe heat. Thank God, there is no water crisis where I live."
Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian addressed the crisis during a cabinet meeting and issuing a stark warning. He said, as per state media, 'The water crisis is more serious than what is being discussed today and if we do not take urgent action now, we will face a situation in the future for which no remedy can be found. In the water sector, beyond management and planning, we also need to address excessive consumption."
view comments
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
9 hours ago
- News18
HP suffers losses of Rs 1500 crore during ongoing monsoon season
Shimla, Jul 27 (PTI) Since the onset of monsoon in the state on June 20 till date, Himachal Pradesh has suffered losses of over Rs 1,500 crores, officials said on Sunday. So far, 88 people have died and 35 have gone missing in rain-related incidents, and 1,316 houses have been fully or partially damaged in the state. The state has experienced 42 flash floods, 25 cloudbursts and 32 landslides during this monsoon, according to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC). The local Met office on Sunday issued an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rains accompanied with thunderstorms and lightning in isolated areas in four districts — Kangra, Kullu Mandi and Shimla — for Tuesday. Light to moderate rains lashed some parts of the state in the past 24 hours since Saturday evening. Dharamshala received 35 mm of rainfall, followed by Malraon 26.4 mm, Kangra 26 mm, Dhaulakuan 17.5 mm, Kahu 14.5 mm, Manali 11 mm, Jot 10.8 mm, Jubberhatti 10.4 mm, Bajaura 10 mm, Joggindernagar 6 mm and Narkanda 5.5 mm. Thunderstorms lashed Sundernagar, Shimla, Murari Devi and Jubbarhatti. Nearly 200 roads, including two national highways, were closed for vehicular traffic on Sunday evening owing to the rains and 75 power distribution transformers and 97 water supply schemes have also been affected across the state. Around 131 roads, including the Manali-Kotali road (NH-70), were closed in Mandi district alone, where multiple cloudbursts wreaked havoc on June 30 night. National Highway (305) Sainj to Aut road is blocked at Kekhsu and Jhed due to landslides in Kullu district. There was no significant change in the minimum and maximum temperatures, and Kukumseri was coldest at night, recording a low of 12.8 degrees Celsius, while Una was hottest in the day with a high of 35.6 degrees. PTI BPL AMJ AMJ (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: July 27, 2025, 19:00 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
9 hours ago
- News18
Monsoon Exposes Pakistan's Infra, Nearly Half Of 266 Killed During Rains Are Kids
Last Updated: In 2022, monsoon floods submerged a third of the country and claimed 1,700 lives. Amid ongoing monsoon season in Pakistan, nearly half of the 266 people killed so far were children, many on their national school holidays, Geo News reported. The deadly consequence of the monsoon has once again exposed the Pakistani government's chronic failure to protect its most vulnerable citizens. Since June 26, 126 children have lost their lives due to unusually heavy monsoon rains, with the highest number of casualties reported in Punjab, where rainfall is 70 per cent above last year's levels. Further, school closures left many children unsupervised, increasing their risk of exposure to flash floods, electrocution, drowning, and building collapses. Geo News reported that Mazhar Hussain from the Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Agency acknowledged, 'Children are very vulnerable to this situation," but his remarks only highlighted the lack of preventive safety measures. 'They are playing in the water, bathing, and electricity shocks can happen," he told Geo News. Critics argue that these comments underlined Pakistan's failure to implement basic safety infrastructure and emergency protocols, despite facing heavy monsoons every year. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) confirmed 266 fatalities nationwide, with hundreds more injured. News agency ANI reported that in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan, a landslide swept away vehicles in a popular tourist destination. In another tragic incident in late June, 13 tourists died after flash floods swept through a riverbank shelter. Monsoon rains are critical for Pakistan's agriculture, supplying 70% to 80% of the country's annual precipitation between late June and September. However, they also bring repeated devastation due to the country's reactive disaster response. In 2022, monsoon floods submerged a third of the country and claimed 1,700 lives. Yet, little has changed. As this year's death toll rises, especially among children, the ongoing crisis reflects a stark pattern: ordinary citizens continue to suffer the consequences of systemic neglect. view comments First Published: July 27, 2025, 18:27 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
11 hours ago
- News18
Strong monsoon flow to bring heavy rain in parts of Bengal
Agency: PTI Last Updated: Kolkata, Jul 27 (PTI) Some districts of West Bengal are likely to receive torrential downpour, with widespread rainfall expected across the state during the next few days owing to a strong monsoon flow, the IMD said on Sunday. Heavy rainfall is likely to occur at one or two places in the sub-Himalayan districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Alipurduar, Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri till August 2, it said. The IMD said heavy rain is also likely at one or two places over North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Nadia, Purulia, East Bardhaman, West Bardhaman and Bankura districts of south Bengal, with light to medium rainfall in the other districts of the region till July 31. The weatherman forecast light to moderate rain and a generally cloudy sky in Kolkata for the next five days. In its bulletin, the IMD advised fishermen not to venture into the sea till Monday, warning of squally winds. Kumargram in Alipurduar recorded the highest amount of rainfall at 70 mm in the past 24 hours till 8.30 am on Sunday, while Torsa tea garden and Buxaduar in the district received 50-mm rainfall, it added. PTI AMR RBT Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
