(MENAFN) In response to an escalating water and electricity shortage triggered by an unprecedented heatwave, Iranian authorities shut down government offices in 22 provinces—including Tehran—on Wednesday, while cutting working hours in an additional four provinces.

This emergency move comes as temperatures soared above 40 degrees Celsius nationwide, with some areas approaching a staggering 50 degrees Celsius.

The drastic measures follow a historic drought, with precipitation since the start of Iran’s current water year on September 22, 2024, plummeting by 40 percent compared to the long-term average for the same period last year, according to Iran Water Resources Management, cited by a local news agency.

Reservoir levels have dropped dramatically, holding just 44 percent of their capacity, with southern provinces like Hormozgan and Fars experiencing complete water depletion.
Meanwhile, media, quoting Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi, reported a 50 percent decrease in water inflow to Tehran’s dams.

Minister Aliabadi also confirmed a 41 percent decline in rainfall across Tehran, exacerbating the already dire water shortage.

In a further blow, the Tehran Province Water and Wastewater Company announced it will halt water supply to all public and private swimming pools starting Thursday until further notice, as reported by the news agency.

At a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged the failure of prior attempts to tackle the crisis and called for "immediate actions."

An analysis from media highlighted decades of unsustainable agricultural and industrial practices in arid regions, combined with subsidized water pricing, as key contributors worsening the emergency.

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