Heavy rains in mid-February raised the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in Iraq by 1.5 to 3 meters, saving agricultural crops and restoring life to the Ahwar marshland region after 14 years of drought.
The Water Resources Ministry announced that the heavy rains in northern and eastern Iraq increased water levels in rivers and storage systems.
Photos and videos on social media showed the rise in Tigris River levels and the return of water in the Ahwar region.
Iraq has been facing a severe water crisis due to dams built by Turkey and Iran, reducing water flow in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, affecting water sources in the country.
The Agriculture Ministry reported that water shortage caused desertification in 27 million dunums of land in Iraq.
In 1997, Iraq and Syria signed a UN convention on transboundary rivers, but Turkey and Iran did not implement it.
Water consumption in Iraq exceeds daily water intake, leading to falling water levels until recent rains.
The government must change its strategy to address water depletion issues in Iraq and preserve resources for future use.
Iraq launched an initiative to plant 5 million trees to combat desertification, aiming to plant a total of 14 billion trees.
