(MENAFN) On Wednesday, Iraqi transport ministry declared that the country will import water from regional countries to make up for falling water supplies, especially at its southern regions, Iraqi News reported.

A statement by the ministry said that as, per directives by the prime minister, tanker vehicles from the ministry will head to Basra province to secure fresh water and distribute it for free at residential areas, and will be followed by tanker ships which will load water supplies from regional ports.

Government-owned Al-Sabaah quoted Hamid al-Nayef, spokesperson of the agriculture ministry, saying that Iraq made official requests to Turkey and Syria to release its share of Euphrates and Tigris rivers, which had witnessed a great decline.

According to Nayef, the drop in rainfall rates contributed to the decline of water levels at the rivers. He said the government has only managed to provide water to 75 percent of lands allocated for cultivation.

"All regions of Iraq face the danger of water scarcity," water resources minister, Hassan al-Janabi, told al-Sabaah.

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