FAMAGUSTA GAZETTE — Lebanon is grappling with its most severe drought in over 60 years, with rainfall levels plunging by more than 60 percent during the 2024–2025 season, according to government and scientific sources.
The Ministry of Energy and Water confirmed a 40 percent drop in precipitation, impacting both surface and underground water supplies. Snowfall was nearly absent in mountainous regions, and rapid melting failed to replenish reservoirs and rivers.
“This is not a one-off dry season,” said geologist Kamal Khair. “It’s a new climate pattern driven by global warming and compounded by poor local preparedness.”
Iconic springs such as Al-Biyada, Hasbani, and Al-Yamouna have dried up, leaving farmers like Hassib Abdallah in the Bekaa Valley facing devastating losses. “Our lands are thirsty, and so are we,” Abdallah said, standing amid sunburned fruit trees.
Fuel price hikes have made irrigation unaffordable, and the Hasbani River has nearly vanished. Local officials have begun relocating fish from shrinking pools to upstream springs in a bid to preserve aquatic life.
The Litani River, Lebanon’s longest, has seen water flow into Lake Qaraoun drop to below 60 million cubic meters—far short of the seasonal average of 233 million—forcing the shutdown of a hydroelectric plant and worsening the country’s electricity crisis.
A UN report warns that over 1.2 million people may lose access to safe drinking water. Experts are calling for urgent investment in water infrastructure and climate adaptation to prevent further deterioration.