(MENAFN) Lebanon is confronting an "unprecedented water shortage," Energy and Water Minister Joe Saddi announced Tuesday, as plummeting rainfall and limited snowfall cripple the country’s groundwater reserves.

Rainfall this year has plunged to 51% below average levels, typically ranging from 700 to 1,000 millimeters, Saddi revealed during a press conference. He warned that Lebanon’s diminishing water resources now constitute a national emergency.

Saddi reported that rainfall this year is 51 percent below average and added that reduced snowfall has also greatly drained aquifers and other underground water sources.

To counter the worsening crisis, the ministry has activated a contingency strategy that includes stricter enforcement against water violations, accelerated infrastructure repairs, the deployment of additional field teams, equitable distribution mechanisms, and the reactivation of dormant wells.

Saddi also addressed the long-stalled construction of four key dams designed to expand Lebanon’s water storage capabilities. He confirmed that international expertise is being sought to reassess and guide their completion.

He said he has enlisted a committee of international experts to determine the best technical solutions.

The announcement underscores the deepening impact of climate variability on Lebanon’s already fragile public utilities.

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