Shocking statistics: 97 percent of Iran's area is exposed to drought

Over the past ten years, much of Iran has been experiencing a long-term, cumulative drought. According to official statistics published by the National Drought Center, Tehran and 20 other provinces are suffering from severe drought.

On Monday, July 30, the Iranian student news agency ISNA published shocking statistics about the phenomenon of drought and water scarcity in Iran.

This statistic was published by the National Drought and Crisis Management Center of the Meteorological Organization. According to this statistic, 97 percent of Iran's area is experiencing long-term drought.

Sadegh Ziaian, head of the National Drought and Crisis Management Center of the Meteorological Organization, provided explanations about these statistics in an interview with ISNA's student reporter.

Long-term and severe drought

The head of the National Drought Center has announced the period under review as a 120-month period ending in July of this year. Ziaian said the following about this:

"Based on the 120-month index ending in late July, about 97 percent of the country's area is facing varying degrees of long-term drought, of which 5.5 percent is experiencing mild drought, 28.5 percent is experiencing moderate drought, 50 percent is experiencing severe drought, and 13 percent is experiencing very severe drought."

Thus, 63 percent of Iran's area is facing severe and very severe drought. According to statistics published by the aforementioned center, the wet season is limited to only 0.4 percent of Iran's area, and only 2.5 percent of Iran's area is in a "normal situation."

Severe drought in Tehran and 20 other provinces

Ziaian has declared the drought level in parts of Tehran, Alborz, Qazvin, East Azerbaijan, Isfahan, and Zanjan provinces to be severe and even very severe long-term drought.

This is while the situation in the southern provinces of the country, such as Khuzestan, Fars, Bushehr, and Sistan and Baluchestan, is reported to be worse than other provinces.

According to the head of the National Drought and Crisis Management Center of the Meteorological Organization, long-term drought indicators in different regions of Iran are considered a reflection of water storage conditions.

It is worth noting that the consequences of this drought in the cities of Khuzestan and Bushehr provinces in recent weeks have caused widespread protests among the people of these regions.

Source: DW