(More stories from the Arab World: www.thearabwaterchannel.tv)
Sana’a, the capital city of Yemen, is predicted in several studies to be the first capital in the world to run out of water. Random well drilling and Qat farming are two major issues the Yemeni government need to consider a priority to tackle. Under the pressure of many external forces threatening the stability of the country, ranging from political conflicts to the expansion of terrorism, the world and the Yemeni government forget that in 20 year, Sana’a could turn into a ‘ghost town’.
The water crisis is the biggest long-term issue Yemenis face and experience every day, while on the other hand the water trade is becoming more popular. Some drilled and almost dried wells have reached a critical depth of 400 meters. There is no possibility to dig deeper but to dig new wells and consume larger amounts of groundwater to satisfy the demands of a fast growing population.
More info: www.france24.com/ar/
Produced by: FRANCE 24 Arabic
Year: 2010
Language: Arabic
Region: Middle East
