In the heart of northeast Syria, the struggle for water has become a survival crisis. Local residents recount their desperate attempts to secure drinking water amidst chaos. Engineers are racing against time to implement sustainable solutions while facing ongoing conflict. The impact of climate change is harshly felt, altering weather patterns and threatening agriculture. Personal stories highlight the painful cultural losses as villagers abandon their homes. The resilience of the community shines through their efforts to adapt and revive their once-thriving land.
The water crisis in northeast Syria has left over a million people struggling for access to drinking water amidst ongoing conflict and infrastructural failures.
Efforts are underway by local engineers to drill new wells to combat the water shortage, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable solutions amidst climate change and territorial strife.
Deep dives
Severe Water Crisis in Northeast Syria
The water crisis in northeast Syria has resulted in dire shortages affecting millions of residents, leading to intense competition over limited resources. Fatima Zamin, a local council worker, faces daily frustrations as angry citizens demand water that is often hard to deliver due to inadequate infrastructure and the ongoing conflict. The area relies heavily on tanker deliveries, but these are insufficient to meet the growing need, especially in the blistering heat. Complaints flood in as the community struggles with the reality that their only source of water is dwindling, exacerbating tensions and desperation among families.
Impact of Climate Change and Conflict
The ongoing water crisis in Hasaka is driven by both climate change and conflict, creating an environment of increasing desperation. Rising temperatures and falling rainfall have drastically affected agriculture and water availability, turning once fertile land into barren fields. Local farmer Saeed Al-Khalaf reflects on the destruction of his riverbank farm, expressing concern about the drastic changes brought by climate conditions and societal turmoil. Additionally, the Turkish military's control over key water supply stations has compounded the issue, disrupting consistent access to vital resources.
Community Efforts and Future Hope
In light of these challenges, community leaders and engineers are mobilizing efforts to dig new wells to alleviate the water crisis in Hasaka. Ammar Ragrak, a water engineer, leads a team working tirelessly to complete the drilling of 20 new wells before the onset of summer. Despite setbacks such as inadequate equipment and ongoing conflict impacts, there is a collective determination to secure water resources essential for survival. The commitment expressed by locals emphasizes the urgent need for access to water, as it is recognized to be more valuable than gold in their current reality.
The autonomous north-east region of Syria, once regarded as one of the most fertile areas in the country, is today struggling to find enough water to survive. More than a million people in Hasakah have been left with almost no drinking water, and what little water they have has to be brought in by tanker. BBC Eye goes to Hasakah to investigate what lies behind this crisis. Namak Khoshnaw hears how, following Turkey’s incursion into the region in 2019, a critical water station is barely functioning, and Turkey has bombed the power station that supplies it along with other infrastructure. Namak talks to local people about their daily struggle to survive and to the engineers and local officials desperately racing against time to find new sources of drinking water.
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