No water, power: Iranians suffer as intense drought, heatwave grips country

Iranians are experiencing an unprecedented crisis after a severe heatwave and water and electricity shortages threw life off gear. The temperature currently hovers between 40°C in Tehran and 50°C in the south, causing water and power cuts.

With the crisis escalating, Iranian authorities are implementing widespread closures of government offices across the country. Almost 23 Iranian provinces announced the suspension of schools and work due to "heat and energy consumption management.”

Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani told the media, "If the water crisis continues, there is a possibility that the closures will continue," adding that a report will be prepared on the impact of these closures on water consumption management.

The official blamed the crisis on “unprecedented drought”, the second-driest year in five decades. The rainfall is down 43% from last year. Government data show 24 of 31 provinces are under “water stress,” including major cities like Tehran, Mashhad, Tabriz, and Isfahan, according to Iran International.

The crisis has triggered widespread protests across the country. Videos showed a group of people gathered in front of the governor's office building in the city of Sabzevar, chanting slogans. “This is a big prison called Iran that has neither water nor electricity,” a woman from Fardis, a suburb of Karaj city, told Iran International. “Water outage again… People have reached the breaking point. Do something before it’s too late, you irresponsible officials!” another woman pleaded.

In areas where there is a water supply, the pressure is too low, leaving only the lower floors to receive water. Though some residents installed private pumps to reach upper floors, these depend on electricity, which is also being cut. “The lower floors have low-pressure water, but the upper floors, even with a pump, have none,” wrote journalist Maryam Shokrani on X.

Though authorities blame it on drought, experts say the crisis is a result of poor planning in water resource management and decades of unsustainable water use in agriculture and industry. 

Middle East