Türkiye is facing a severe drought that is impacting water resources, shrinking reservoirs and unprecedented shortages affecting daily life, agriculture, and industry.
Officials are calling for urgent, sustainable water management and emergency actions.
Türkiye is dealing with an ongoing nationwide drought as new analysis from the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-2 satellites shows.
Its findings show that soil moisture has dropped sharply nationwide this year also confirming that rivers, reservoirs, and farmlands are drying fast.
The Turkish State Meteorological Service (MGM) provides interactive drought maps that show how much rainfall has occurred across Türkiye compared to long-term norms.
These maps highlight short- and long-term drought trends by region, helping with water and agricultural planning.
Experts are calling for immediate action and for deliberate steps to be taken to prevent the situation from getting worse.
Professor Şenol Hakan Kutoğlu of Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University points to both agricultural and urban solutions which include shifting to less water-demanding crops, planting drought-resistant species, installing green roofs, and introducing rainwater collection systems to capture rainfall.
Nationwide active storage has fallen to 42%, forcing major cities onto alert.
In Istanbul, dam levels are 11% lower than last year, leaving less than 120 days of drinking water. Officials are already considering rotating cuts and restrictions.
Türkiye's capital, Ankara, is even more severe: reservoirs are 19% full, but with only 8.5% usable, experts warn Ankara may face a crisis before Istanbul.
In Izmir, the Tahtalı Dam has dropped under 7%; supply cuts have tightened from every five days to every three, while some neighborhoods are already without regular water. In Bursa, the Nilüfer Dam has completely dried up, while Doğancı Dam holds just over a month’s supply.
Officials stress that demand management, fixing leaks, lowering pressure at night, and urging the public to save water can buy time, but without urgent adaptation, Türkiye may face its harshest urban water crisis in decades.
Norway’s Sturla Holm Laegreid, who won bronze in the men’s biathlon at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics on Tuesday (10 February) in Italy, ...
Mexican Alpine skier Lasse Gaxiola will have his mother for company on his Olympic debut but she will not be cheering him from the finish area in Satu...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 11th of February, covering the latest developments you need to...
A proposed multinational peacekeeping force for Gaza could involve around 20,000 personnel, with Indonesia estimating it may contribute up to 8,000, a...
U.S. President Donald Trump says Washington could deploy a second aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East if nuclear negotiations with Iran c...
Türkiye experienced one of its most severe droughts in the past half century in 2025, with conditions now showing signs of becoming long-term and structural, climate expert Mikdat Kadioglu told Anadolu.
Across Iraq’s wheat belt, farmers are turning away from traditional river-fed irrigation as the Tigris and Euphrates shrink, replacing canals with wells, sprinklers and storage basins.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has urged the public to drastically reduce water consumption in the aftermath of an unprecedented drought across the country.
Malawi’s President Arthur Peter Mutharika has declared a state of emergency in 11 districts following severe drought conditions that have left millions at risk of hunger.
JD Vance arrived in Armenia on Monday (9 February), becoming the first sitting U.S. Vice President to visit the country, as Yerevan and Washington agreed to cooperate in the civil nuclear sector in a bid to deepen engagement in the South Caucasus.
The United States and Azerbaijan signed a strategic partnership in Baku on Tuesday (10 February) encompassing economic and security cooperation as Washington seeks to expand its influence in a region where Russia was once the main power broker.
António José Seguro’s decisive victory over far-right challenger André Ventura marks an historic moment in Portuguese politics, but analysts caution that the result does not amount to a rejection of populism.
Buckingham Palace said it is ready to support any police investigation into allegations that Prince Andrew shared confidential British trade documents with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as King Charles expressed “profound concern” over the latest revelations.
Iran’s atomic energy chief says Tehran could dilute uranium enriched to 60 per cent if all international sanctions are lifted, stressing that technical nuclear issues are being discussed alongside political matters in ongoing negotiations.
The United States and Azerbaijan signed a strategic partnership in Baku on Tuesday (10 February) encompassing economic and security cooperation as Washington seeks to expand its influence in a region where Russia was once the main power broker.
A scheduled visit to Ankara this week by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will seek to “resolve all our problems at the table,” Ömer Çelik, a spokesman for Türkiye’s ruling AK Party, has said.
The European Union is preparing a further expansion of its sanctions against Russia, with Central Asia emerging for the first time as a distinct point of focus.
Azerbaijan and the United States signalled closer economic ties on Monday (9 February) as President Ilham Aliyev hosted a delegation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, highlighting the country’s investment appeal and growing interest from American companies.
“Peace is not just about signing treaties - it’s about communication, interaction and integration,” Sultan Zahidov, leading adviser at the AIR Center, told AnewZ, suggesting U.S. Vice President JD Vance's visit to the South Caucasus could advance the peace agenda between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment