Iraq’s second largest lake drying up, turning up dead fish

What is the News?

Iraq’s Razzaza Lake was once a tourist attraction known for its beautiful scenery and an abundance of fish that locals depended on. Now, dead fish litter its shores and the once-fertile lands around it have turned into a barren desert.

Where is Razzaza Lake?

Razzaza Lake, also known as Lake Milh, Arabic for Salt Lake, is located in Iraq. 

It is the second-largest lake in Iraq and is part of a wide valley that includes the lakes of Habbaniyah, Tharthar and Bahr al-Najaf.

The lake was constructed as a measure to control floods in the Euphrates and to be used as a huge reservoir for irrigation purposes. 

Note: Euphrates River is the longest river in southwest Asia. The river rises in Turkey and flows southeast across Syria and through Iraq.

Iraqis and tourists frequented the lake as a recreational spot to cool down during Iraq’s hot summers.

However, in recent years, the lake has been affected not only by the water shortage but by drought, neglect, pollution and increased evaporation during Iraq’s hot summers. 

Source: This post is based on the article “Iraq’s second largest lake drying up, turning up dead fish” published in Indian Express on 25th February 2022.