GARMIYAN, Kurdistan Region - Villagers in Sulaimani province's Garmiyan administration are grappling with an escalating water crisis, as drought and extreme water shortages intensify.
Khalaf Mohammed, a resident of Bnaka Khapakwera village in Garmiyan, has been forced to sell his livestock and leave his home due to the worsening conditions.
"Because of the water shortage, people can no longer work. They are only struggling to survive and avoid dying of thirst," he told Rudaw.
Mohammed now walks over six kilometers multiple times a day just to collect drinking water.
The crisis has already driven five families out of the village, which is home to just 25 households. The situation has deteriorated significantly since the onset of summer.
A major contributing factor is reduced water flow from neighboring Iran, which has retained water that would otherwise feed into the Dukan Lake. Once a vibrant tourist destination, the lake’s levels have dropped dramatically.