Hama, SANA – The Orontes River, located in the Ghab Plain northwestern Syria, which was a source of life, is drying up for the first time in decades in a phenomenon that portends an environmental and humanitarian disaster, as it has now become a scene of cracked soil and stagnant ponds.
Unprecedented drought in 54 years
Basem Hababa, a fisherman from the village of Al-Tamanah, warned that the Orontes River is experiencing its worst drought in more than half a century. Low rainfall—less than a quarter of the annual average—and rising temperatures have led to a sharp drop in the river’s water level, causing the deaths of thousands of fish.
Multidimensional environmental and humanitarian impacts
The drying up of the river has led to the collapse of fisheries projects. Fish farms in the Ghab Plain have seen their production drop from 40 percent to less than 10 percent, and owners have been forced to pay exorbitant costs to pump water from groundwater wells.
The drying up of the river has also affected crop irrigation, forcing farmers to reduce their agricultural areas or leave their land fallow. Some have also been forced to use contaminated water sources due to the drought, which can lead to the spread of disease.
One of the fishermen said: “The river no longer feeds us. Drought is not just a lack of water. It is the death of an entire way of life.”
Pumping water from dams near the river and launching environmental awareness campaigns to reduce pollution and overfishing were some of the emergency suggestions made by a number of residents, who emphasized that the Orontes River is no longer just a water resource; rather, it is witnessing an environmental and humanitarian crisis that requires radical solutions.
Fedaa
