Iran battles 50°C heatwave and water crisis

Tomorrow, all public offices in Tehran will remain closed due to extreme temperatures. The intense heat in Iran has led to the depletion of reservoir resources, and citizens are being urged to limit their water consumption. The already difficult situation is worsened by increasingly frequent power outages across the country.

Our skin is burning, people complain

In the Iranian capital, thermometers showed 40°C on Sunday, 41°C yesterday, and are expected to reach 43°C today. According to the national meteorological service, temperatures in the southern city of Borazjan in Bushehr Province reached 50°C, and 52.8°C in Shabankareh. This is by far the hottest week of the entire year, and forecasts indicate the heatwave in Iran will persist for at least eight more days. Unfortunately, no rainfall is expected.

At a special government meeting, it was decided to declare Wednesday, July 23, a public holiday in Tehran. Public offices, banks, and private companies are to remain closed. Citizens have been advised to avoid going outside during peak heat hours and to limit water and electricity usage. According to many Iranians, however, taking a shower remains the best way to cope with the inhumane heat.

Heatwave worsens Iran’s water crisis

Iran’s water shortages have a long history, partly due to its naturally dry climate and increasingly frequent droughts over the past five years. However, experts also blame overexploitation of resources and poor management of underground reserves. This year’s record-low rainfall has added fuel to the fire.

On Sunday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian admitted that the country’s water crisis is more serious than previously thought. According to a report by Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi, the nation’s reservoirs could run completely dry within a week. The government is already negotiating water import deals with Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan.

For now, citizens are complaining about quiet rationing – tap water is increasingly scarce. Authorities deny cutting off supplies, claiming only to have reduced pressure in the water system. However, Iran International reports that residents are being urged to buy bottled water. The director of Tehran Province’s water supply network openly stated that if water use isn’t cut by 20 percent, supply interruptions will become inevitable.

Hot, dry and… dark

The June conflict with Israel has increased the frequency of power outages, which are also becoming longer. Energy shortages are the result of international sanctions, but also of outdated infrastructure. In summer months, when the demand for water and electricity peaks, Iranians are increasingly suffering blackouts. The lack of electricity is hitting businesses hard, especially food producers – social media is flooded with videos showing daily losses, from wasted bread dough to dead poultry.

With no electricity and a shortage of tap water, the heat in Iran becomes unbearable. The poorest are suffering the most, claiming that outages regularly spare the wealthier neighborhoods. Yesterday, traffic lights were also shut down in the border city of Mashhad, causing transportation chaos. Residents of Mashhad are devastated – especially since their river is drying up due to a dam built in nearby Afghanistan.

The situation in Iran is yet another example of the dangers posed by the convergence of political conflict, climate change, and poor resource management. With a population of 90 million, the country stands on the brink of a major humanitarian crisis.

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main photo: Ninara/Flickr