Turkey: big cities struggle with water scarcity - Istanbul fears day zero

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Feeding seagulls in Istanbul: Due to construction problems, an important dam project is likely to be delayed by several years

Photo: OZAN KOSE / AFP

Because of the corona pandemic, Muslims in Turkey are currently advised not to come to the mosque for Friday prayers.

On December 11, 2020, the churches were still well attended in many places.

The Turkish religious authority Diyanet had called for prayers for rain.

Thousands of believers across the country answered the call, including Vice President Fuat Oktay.

However, that has done little. 

It is true that afterwards there was actually heavy rainfall in several regions.

However, these had been predicted by meteorologists.

The showers did not help against the persistent drought in the country.

It has not rained enough in Turkey for months.

Several large cities are fighting against water scarcity.

The reservoirs from which Istanbul draws its water were only 19 percent full at the beginning of January.

Should there continue to be so little rainfall, experts expect the metropolis to run out of water in less than 40 days.

Then day zero would have been reached, which Cape Town was very close to in 2018.   

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