Warning of unprecedented climate change impact
Iraq records highest June temperatures amid severe water crisis
BABIL – Iraq’s Minister of Water Resources, Aoun Diab, announced Saturday that the country experienced its highest temperatures on record for June, exacerbating water shortages and highlighting severe climate change impacts.
Diab revealed that the extreme weather has led to increased evaporation rates in the rivers, putting Iraq through one of its toughest summers. On the first day of summer, temperatures in eight southern Iraqi provinces exceeded 50 degrees Celsius, according to the Iraqi Meteorological Agency.
“The current water situation in Iraq is at its most challenging stage. I have never experienced such heat in June as we are experiencing now,” Diab said during a press conference in the southern province of Babil. He emphasized that the unprecedented rise in temperatures is indicative of significant climate change.
The United Nations ranks Iraq among the world’s five most climate-vulnerable nations.
As Iraq grapples with soaring temperatures, citizens face ongoing power outages. Amid the intense summer heat, many areas are experiencing electricity cuts. Despite high electricity production rates this year, malfunctions persist in the distribution network.
The severe summer has been worsened by declining rainfall, rampant desertification, and frequent dust storms, forcing many Iraqis to flock to rivers to cool off.
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Iraqis endure scorching heat and persistent power outages
