Iran faces water shortage amid heatwave, temperatures surpass 50 degrees Celsius

Iran is facing a severe water shortage amid a severe heatwave. The country’s meteorological department said it was the hottest day of the year so far, with temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) in some areas. Government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani said on Sunday (July 20) local time that Tehran province has declared a public holiday on Wednesday (July 23) due to the intense heat and the need to save electricity and water. Temperatures in Tehran reached 40 degrees Celsius on Sunday, and are expected to reach 41 degrees on Monday (July 21). The arid regions of southern Iran have long suffered from water shortages, which are believed to be the result of climate change, overuse of groundwater and mismanagement. Tehran City Council Chairman Mahdi Chamran called on citizens to stop wasting water. Tehran’s water management agency said the reservoirs of the city’s dams are at their lowest level in a century. It has called for a reduction in water use by at least 20%. The conservative daily Javan reported that water supplies in some areas of the capital were cut for 12 to 18 hours to deal with the crisis. On Sunday (July 20), Iran’s Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi expressed regret, saying the decision was taken “in the interests of resource management”.