Search｜Photos & Images & Videos｜KYODO NEWS IMAGES INC

Japan: Cedar Pollen Reaches Its Peak With Heavy Dispersal Reported 3

Cedar pollen levels reached their peak across a wide area of Japan, including Tokyo, on Saturday, February 28, as strong winds and rising temperatures created ideal conditions for mass dispersal. In several regions, a "pollen corona" was observed around the sun, a visual phenomenon indicating an extreme concentration of pollen in the atmosphere.

E

Japan: Cedar Pollen Reaches Its Peak With Heavy Dispersal Reported 5

Cedar pollen levels reached their peak across a wide area of Japan, including Tokyo, on Saturday, February 28, as strong winds and rising temperatures created ideal conditions for mass dispersal. In several regions, a "pollen corona" was observed around the sun, a visual phenomenon indicating an extreme concentration of pollen in the atmosphere.

E

Japan: Cedar Pollen Reaches Its Peak With Heavy Dispersal Reported 4

Cedar pollen levels reached their peak across a wide area of Japan, including Tokyo, on Saturday, February 28, as strong winds and rising temperatures created ideal conditions for mass dispersal. In several regions, a "pollen corona" was observed around the sun, a visual phenomenon indicating an extreme concentration of pollen in the atmosphere.

E

Japan: Cedar Pollen Reaches Its Peak With Heavy Dispersal Reported

Cedar pollen levels reached their peak across a wide area of Japan, including Tokyo, on Saturday, February 28, as strong winds and rising temperatures created ideal conditions for mass dispersal. In several regions, a "pollen corona" was observed around the sun, a visual phenomenon indicating an extreme concentration of pollen in the atmosphere.

E

Japan: Cedar Pollen Reaches Its Peak With Heavy Dispersal Reported 2

Cedar pollen levels reached their peak across a wide area of Japan, including Tokyo, on Saturday, February 28, as strong winds and rising temperatures created ideal conditions for mass dispersal. In several regions, a "pollen corona" was observed around the sun, a visual phenomenon indicating an extreme concentration of pollen in the atmosphere.

E

US: Historic Blizzard Buries Rhode Island, Triggers Travel Ban

A powerful winter storm brought Rhode Island to a standstill Monday, February 23 dumping wind-driven snow, causing widespread power outages, and prompting a statewide travel ban that remained in effect into Tuesday. Snowfall reached historic levels, with more than 30 inches reported in some areas. The National Weather Service measured 32.8 inches at T. F. Green International Airport, breaking the state’s single-storm record set during the 1978 Blizzard.

E

US: Rising Temperatures Trigger Ice Jam Flood Risk in Pennsylvania

Rising temperatures have triggered ice jams on creeks in Venango County, Pennsylvania and nearby areas, causing elevated water levels and flooding concerns. In Oil City, Oil Creek is nearing overflow, flooding several businesses and prompting officials to prepare for possible evacuations. A flood watch and warning remain in effect through Friday, with thick ice and a released ice jam expected to worsen flooding in Oil City and Rouseville. Residents are urged to stay alert and ready to act.

E

Spain: Heavy Snow from Storm Leonardo Keeps Sierra Nevada Resort on High Alert

Cetursa crews worked throughout the day to safeguard the Sierra Nevada ski area from Storm Leonardo. With the resort closed due to the weather emergency, teams created snow trenches and drainage channels to protect buildings in Borreguiles and direct runoff away from the pistes. Despite these efforts, the resort remains on high alert for rising snow levels and a significant increase in avalanche risk, and will stay closed on Thursday, February 5.

E

Spain: River Levels Rise in Malaga as Storm Leonardo Brings Heavy Rain

Storm Leonardo has caused rapid river level rises across Málaga province, with the Guadiaro under red alert and at risk of overflowing after heavy rainfall on already saturated ground. Several other rivers, including the Genal and Guadalteba, have also reached warning levels, with localized flooding reported. This video shows Guadalmedina River on the Cotina area on Wednesday morning, February 4.

E

UEFA Women's Champions League - Real Madrid v Wolfsburgo

VfL Wolfsburgo’s Janou Levels during Women’s Champions League 2025-2026 match. December 09,2025. Photo by Ropero/AlterPhotos/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

UEFA Women's Champions League - Real Madrid v Wolfsburgo

Real Madrid CF’s Caroline Weir (R) and VfL Wolfsburgo’s Janou Levels during Women’s Champions League 2025-2026 match. December 09,2025. Photo by Ropero/AlterPhotos/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

UEFA Women's Champions League - Real Madrid v Wolfsburgo

VfL Wolfsburgo’s Janou Levels during Women’s Champions League 2025-2026 match. December 09,2025. Photo by Ropero/AlterPhotos/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

UEFA Women's Champions League - Real Madrid v Wolfsburgo

VfL Wolfsburgo’s Janou Levels during Women’s Champions League 2025-2026 match. December 09,2025. Photo by Ropero/AlterPhotos/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

UEFA Women's Champions League - Real Madrid v Wolfsburgo

Real Madrid CF’s Caroline Weir (A) and VfL Wolfsburgo’s Janou Levels during Women’s Champions League 2025-2026 match. December 09,2025. Photo by Ropero/AlterPhotos/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Water Crisis Impacts Aquaculture In Taq Taq - Iraq

TAQ TAQ, Kurdistan Region The escalating water crisis in the Kurdistan Region has transcended the threat to potable water, now systematically dismantling one of the region’s most vital economic pillars: the aquaculture and fish farming sector. In Taq Taq district, a cornerstone of the region's fish production, the plummeting water levels of the Lesser Zab River have triggered a catastrophic die-off of millions of fish, inflicting millions of dollars in losses on investors. An Economic and Environmental Catastrophe The upstream damming of the Lesser Zab’s headwaters by Iran, compounded by the severe impacts of climate change, has caused oxygen levels in Kurdistan’s aquaculture projects to drop to lethal levels. Consequently, farm owners are not only losing their livestock but are also witnessing the erosion of thousands of jobs that rely on this sector. Erosion of Food Security Economic analysts warn that the collapse of fish farming in Taq Taq and its surroundings will have immediate repercussions on the broa

E

Water Crisis Impacts Aquaculture In Taq Taq - Iraq

TAQ TAQ, Kurdistan Region The escalating water crisis in the Kurdistan Region has transcended the threat to potable water, now systematically dismantling one of the region’s most vital economic pillars: the aquaculture and fish farming sector. In Taq Taq district, a cornerstone of the region's fish production, the plummeting water levels of the Lesser Zab River have triggered a catastrophic die-off of millions of fish, inflicting millions of dollars in losses on investors. An Economic and Environmental Catastrophe The upstream damming of the Lesser Zab’s headwaters by Iran, compounded by the severe impacts of climate change, has caused oxygen levels in Kurdistan’s aquaculture projects to drop to lethal levels. Consequently, farm owners are not only losing their livestock but are also witnessing the erosion of thousands of jobs that rely on this sector. Erosion of Food Security Economic analysts warn that the collapse of fish farming in Taq Taq and its surroundings will have immediate repercussions on the broa

E

Water Crisis Impacts Aquaculture In Taq Taq - Iraq

TAQ TAQ, Kurdistan Region The escalating water crisis in the Kurdistan Region has transcended the threat to potable water, now systematically dismantling one of the region’s most vital economic pillars: the aquaculture and fish farming sector. In Taq Taq district, a cornerstone of the region's fish production, the plummeting water levels of the Lesser Zab River have triggered a catastrophic die-off of millions of fish, inflicting millions of dollars in losses on investors. An Economic and Environmental Catastrophe The upstream damming of the Lesser Zab’s headwaters by Iran, compounded by the severe impacts of climate change, has caused oxygen levels in Kurdistan’s aquaculture projects to drop to lethal levels. Consequently, farm owners are not only losing their livestock but are also witnessing the erosion of thousands of jobs that rely on this sector. Erosion of Food Security Economic analysts warn that the collapse of fish farming in Taq Taq and its surroundings will have immediate repercussions on the broa

E

Water Crisis Impacts Aquaculture In Taq Taq - Iraq

TAQ TAQ, Kurdistan Region The escalating water crisis in the Kurdistan Region has transcended the threat to potable water, now systematically dismantling one of the region’s most vital economic pillars: the aquaculture and fish farming sector. In Taq Taq district, a cornerstone of the region's fish production, the plummeting water levels of the Lesser Zab River have triggered a catastrophic die-off of millions of fish, inflicting millions of dollars in losses on investors. An Economic and Environmental Catastrophe The upstream damming of the Lesser Zab’s headwaters by Iran, compounded by the severe impacts of climate change, has caused oxygen levels in Kurdistan’s aquaculture projects to drop to lethal levels. Consequently, farm owners are not only losing their livestock but are also witnessing the erosion of thousands of jobs that rely on this sector. Erosion of Food Security Economic analysts warn that the collapse of fish farming in Taq Taq and its surroundings will have immediate repercussions on the broa

E

Water Crisis Impacts Aquaculture In Taq Taq - Iraq

TAQ TAQ, Kurdistan Region The escalating water crisis in the Kurdistan Region has transcended the threat to potable water, now systematically dismantling one of the region’s most vital economic pillars: the aquaculture and fish farming sector. In Taq Taq district, a cornerstone of the region's fish production, the plummeting water levels of the Lesser Zab River have triggered a catastrophic die-off of millions of fish, inflicting millions of dollars in losses on investors. An Economic and Environmental Catastrophe The upstream damming of the Lesser Zab’s headwaters by Iran, compounded by the severe impacts of climate change, has caused oxygen levels in Kurdistan’s aquaculture projects to drop to lethal levels. Consequently, farm owners are not only losing their livestock but are also witnessing the erosion of thousands of jobs that rely on this sector. Erosion of Food Security Economic analysts warn that the collapse of fish farming in Taq Taq and its surroundings will have immediate repercussions on the broa

E

Water Crisis Impacts Aquaculture In Taq Taq - Iraq

TAQ TAQ, Kurdistan Region The escalating water crisis in the Kurdistan Region has transcended the threat to potable water, now systematically dismantling one of the region’s most vital economic pillars: the aquaculture and fish farming sector. In Taq Taq district, a cornerstone of the region's fish production, the plummeting water levels of the Lesser Zab River have triggered a catastrophic die-off of millions of fish, inflicting millions of dollars in losses on investors. An Economic and Environmental Catastrophe The upstream damming of the Lesser Zab’s headwaters by Iran, compounded by the severe impacts of climate change, has caused oxygen levels in Kurdistan’s aquaculture projects to drop to lethal levels. Consequently, farm owners are not only losing their livestock but are also witnessing the erosion of thousands of jobs that rely on this sector. Erosion of Food Security Economic analysts warn that the collapse of fish farming in Taq Taq and its surroundings will have immediate repercussions on the broa

E

Water Crisis Impacts Aquaculture In Taq Taq - Iraq

TAQ TAQ, Kurdistan Region The escalating water crisis in the Kurdistan Region has transcended the threat to potable water, now systematically dismantling one of the region’s most vital economic pillars: the aquaculture and fish farming sector. In Taq Taq district, a cornerstone of the region's fish production, the plummeting water levels of the Lesser Zab River have triggered a catastrophic die-off of millions of fish, inflicting millions of dollars in losses on investors. An Economic and Environmental Catastrophe The upstream damming of the Lesser Zab’s headwaters by Iran, compounded by the severe impacts of climate change, has caused oxygen levels in Kurdistan’s aquaculture projects to drop to lethal levels. Consequently, farm owners are not only losing their livestock but are also witnessing the erosion of thousands of jobs that rely on this sector. Erosion of Food Security Economic analysts warn that the collapse of fish farming in Taq Taq and its surroundings will have immediate repercussions on the broa

E

Water Crisis Impacts Aquaculture In Taq Taq - Iraq

TAQ TAQ, Kurdistan Region The escalating water crisis in the Kurdistan Region has transcended the threat to potable water, now systematically dismantling one of the region’s most vital economic pillars: the aquaculture and fish farming sector. In Taq Taq district, a cornerstone of the region's fish production, the plummeting water levels of the Lesser Zab River have triggered a catastrophic die-off of millions of fish, inflicting millions of dollars in losses on investors. An Economic and Environmental Catastrophe The upstream damming of the Lesser Zab’s headwaters by Iran, compounded by the severe impacts of climate change, has caused oxygen levels in Kurdistan’s aquaculture projects to drop to lethal levels. Consequently, farm owners are not only losing their livestock but are also witnessing the erosion of thousands of jobs that rely on this sector. Erosion of Food Security Economic analysts warn that the collapse of fish farming in Taq Taq and its surroundings will have immediate repercussions on the broa

E

Lake Urmia Environmental Disaster - Iran

A view shows dry reeds on the dry bed of Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran on December 20, 2025. Lake Urmia, once the largest lake in the Middle East, has dramatically shrunk due to prolonged drought, the damming of rivers feeding the lake, and extensive groundwater extraction in the surrounding area. Although increased rainfall and water diversion briefly helped restore water levels in 2019, renewed drought and administrative mismanagement in the early 2020s reversed the trend, and satellite imagery shows the lake has almost entirely dried up by September 2025. Photo by Morteza Aminoroayayi/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Lake Urmia Environmental Disaster - Iran

A view shows a wooden pier on the dry bed of Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran on December 20, 2025. Lake Urmia, once the largest lake in the Middle East, has dramatically shrunk due to prolonged drought, the damming of rivers feeding the lake, and extensive groundwater extraction in the surrounding area. Although increased rainfall and water diversion briefly helped restore water levels in 2019, renewed drought and administrative mismanagement in the early 2020s reversed the trend, and satellite imagery shows the lake has almost entirely dried up by September 2025. Photo by Morteza Aminoroayayi/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Lake Urmia Environmental Disaster - Iran

A view shows a wooden pier on the dry bed of Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran on December 20, 2025. Lake Urmia, once the largest lake in the Middle East, has dramatically shrunk due to prolonged drought, the damming of rivers feeding the lake, and extensive groundwater extraction in the surrounding area. Although increased rainfall and water diversion briefly helped restore water levels in 2019, renewed drought and administrative mismanagement in the early 2020s reversed the trend, and satellite imagery shows the lake has almost entirely dried up by September 2025. Photo by Morteza Aminoroayayi/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Lake Urmia Environmental Disaster - Iran

A view shows a mural depicting a landscape painted on a concrete wall near Sharafkhaneh port at Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran on December 19, 2025. Lake Urmia, once the largest lake in the Middle East, has dramatically shrunk due to prolonged drought, the damming of rivers feeding the lake, and extensive groundwater extraction in the surrounding area. Although increased rainfall and water diversion briefly helped restore water levels in 2019, renewed drought and administrative mismanagement in the early 2020s reversed the trend, and satellite imagery shows the lake has almost entirely dried up by September 2025. Photo by Morteza Aminoroayayi/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Lake Urmia Environmental Disaster - Iran

A view shows dry grass and the dry bed of Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran on December 20, 2025. Lake Urmia, once the largest lake in the Middle East, has dramatically shrunk due to prolonged drought, the damming of rivers feeding the lake, and extensive groundwater extraction in the surrounding area. Although increased rainfall and water diversion briefly helped restore water levels in 2019, renewed drought and administrative mismanagement in the early 2020s reversed the trend, and satellite imagery shows the lake has almost entirely dried up by September 2025. Photo by Morteza Aminoroayayi/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Lake Urmia Environmental Disaster - Iran

A view shows the dry bed of Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran on December 19, 2025. Lake Urmia, once the largest lake in the Middle East, has dramatically shrunk due to prolonged drought, the damming of rivers feeding the lake, and extensive groundwater extraction in the surrounding area. Although increased rainfall and water diversion briefly helped restore water levels in 2019, renewed drought and administrative mismanagement in the early 2020s reversed the trend, and satellite imagery shows the lake has almost entirely dried up by September 2025. Photo by Morteza Aminoroayayi/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Lake Urmia Environmental Disaster - Iran

A view shows a rusty sign next to a wooden pier on the dry bed of Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran on December 20, 2025. Lake Urmia, once the largest lake in the Middle East, has dramatically shrunk due to prolonged drought, the damming of rivers feeding the lake, and extensive groundwater extraction in the surrounding area. Although increased rainfall and water diversion briefly helped restore water levels in 2019, renewed drought and administrative mismanagement in the early 2020s reversed the trend, and satellite imagery shows the lake has almost entirely dried up by September 2025. Photo by Morteza Aminoroayayi/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Lake Urmia Environmental Disaster - Iran

A view shows a shallow stream near a rocky cliff on the bed of Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran on December 19, 2025. Lake Urmia, once the largest lake in the Middle East, has dramatically shrunk due to prolonged drought, the damming of rivers feeding the lake, and extensive groundwater extraction in the surrounding area. Although increased rainfall and water diversion briefly helped restore water levels in 2019, renewed drought and administrative mismanagement in the early 2020s reversed the trend, and satellite imagery shows the lake has almost entirely dried up by September 2025. Photo by Morteza Aminoroayayi/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Lake Urmia Environmental Disaster - Iran

A view shows a wooden pier on the dry bed of Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran on December 20, 2025. Lake Urmia, once the largest lake in the Middle East, has dramatically shrunk due to prolonged drought, the damming of rivers feeding the lake, and extensive groundwater extraction in the surrounding area. Although increased rainfall and water diversion briefly helped restore water levels in 2019, renewed drought and administrative mismanagement in the early 2020s reversed the trend, and satellite imagery shows the lake has almost entirely dried up by September 2025. Photo by Morteza Aminoroayayi/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Lake Urmia Environmental Disaster - Iran

A view shows tire tracks running alongside a shallow stream on the bed of Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran on December 19, 2025. Lake Urmia, once the largest lake in the Middle East, has dramatically shrunk due to prolonged drought, the damming of rivers feeding the lake, and extensive groundwater extraction in the surrounding area. Although increased rainfall and water diversion briefly helped restore water levels in 2019, renewed drought and administrative mismanagement in the early 2020s reversed the trend, and satellite imagery shows the lake has almost entirely dried up by September 2025. Photo by Morteza Aminoroayayi/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Lake Urmia Environmental Disaster - Iran

Salt formations cover the cracked surface of the dried bed of Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran on December 19, 2025. Lake Urmia, once the largest lake in the Middle East, has dramatically shrunk due to prolonged drought, the damming of rivers feeding the lake and extensive groundwater extraction in the surrounding area. Although increased rainfall and water diversion briefly helped restore water levels in 2019, renewed drought and administrative mismanagement in the early 2020s reversed the trend, and satellite imagery shows the lake has almost entirely dried up by September 2025. Photo by Morteza Aminoroayayi/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Lake Urmia Environmental Disaster - Iran

A discarded tire sits near dry reeds on the dry bed of Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran on December 20, 2025. Lake Urmia, once the largest lake in the Middle East, has dramatically shrunk due to prolonged drought, the damming of rivers feeding the lake, and extensive groundwater extraction in the surrounding area. Although increased rainfall and water diversion briefly helped restore water levels in 2019, renewed drought and administrative mismanagement in the early 2020s reversed the trend, and satellite imagery shows the lake has almost entirely dried up by September 2025. Photo by Morteza Aminoroayayi/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Lake Urmia Environmental Disaster - Iran

Remnants of a boat sit on the dry bed of Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran on December 19, 2025. Lake Urmia, once the largest lake in the Middle East, has dramatically shrunk due to prolonged drought, the damming of rivers feeding the lake, and extensive groundwater extraction in the surrounding area. Although increased rainfall and water diversion briefly helped restore water levels in 2019, renewed drought and administrative mismanagement in the early 2020s reversed the trend, and satellite imagery shows the lake has almost entirely dried up by September 2025. Photo by Morteza Aminoroayayi/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Lake Urmia Environmental Disaster - Iran

A shepherd guides a flock of sheep on the dry bed of Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran on December 20, 2025. Lake Urmia, once the largest lake in the Middle East, has dramatically shrunk due to prolonged drought, the damming of rivers feeding the lake, and extensive groundwater extraction in the surrounding area. Although increased rainfall and water diversion briefly helped restore water levels in 2019, renewed drought and administrative mismanagement in the early 2020s reversed the trend, and satellite imagery shows the lake has almost entirely dried up by September 2025. Photo by Morteza Aminoroayayi/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Lake Urmia Environmental Disaster - Iran

A car drives near a rocky cliff on the dry bed of Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran on December 19, 2025. Lake Urmia, once the largest lake in the Middle East, has dramatically shrunk due to prolonged drought, the damming of rivers feeding the lake, and extensive groundwater extraction in the surrounding area. Although increased rainfall and water diversion briefly helped restore water levels in 2019, renewed drought and administrative mismanagement in the early 2020s reversed the trend, and satellite imagery shows the lake has almost entirely dried up by September 2025. Photo by Morteza Aminoroayayi/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Lake Urmia Environmental Disaster - Iran

A rusty boat sits next to a road near Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran on December 20, 2025. Lake Urmia, once the largest lake in the Middle East, has dramatically shrunk due to prolonged drought, the damming of rivers feeding the lake, and extensive groundwater extraction in the surrounding area. Although increased rainfall and water diversion briefly helped restore water levels in 2019, renewed drought and administrative mismanagement in the early 2020s reversed the trend, and satellite imagery shows the lake has almost entirely dried up by September 2025. Photo by Morteza Aminoroayayi/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Lake Urmia Environmental Disaster - Iran

A view shows a wooden pier on the dry bed of Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran on December 19, 2025. Lake Urmia, once the largest lake in the Middle East, has dramatically shrunk due to prolonged drought, the damming of rivers feeding the lake, and extensive groundwater extraction in the surrounding area. Although increased rainfall and water diversion briefly helped restore water levels in 2019, renewed drought and administrative mismanagement in the early 2020s reversed the trend, and satellite imagery shows the lake has almost entirely dried up by September 2025. Photo by Morteza Aminoroayayi/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Lake Urmia Environmental Disaster - Iran

A man and two children stand near a car and a rocky cliff on the dry bed of Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran on December 19, 2025. Lake Urmia, once the largest lake in the Middle East, has dramatically shrunk due to prolonged drought, the damming of rivers feeding the lake, and extensive groundwater extraction in the surrounding area. Although increased rainfall and water diversion briefly helped restore water levels in 2019, renewed drought and administrative mismanagement in the early 2020s reversed the trend, and satellite imagery shows the lake has almost entirely dried up by September 2025. Photo by Morteza Aminoroayayi/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Lake Urmia Environmental Disaster - Iran

A view shows rows of wooden posts protruding from the dry bed of Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran on December 20, 2025. Lake Urmia, once the largest lake in the Middle East, has dramatically shrunk due to prolonged drought, the damming of rivers feeding the lake, and extensive groundwater extraction in the surrounding area. Although increased rainfall and water diversion briefly helped restore water levels in 2019, renewed drought and administrative mismanagement in the early 2020s reversed the trend, and satellite imagery shows the lake has almost entirely dried up by September 2025. Photo by Morteza Aminoroayayi/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Lake Urmia Environmental Disaster - Iran

A view shows murals depicting nature scenes painted on concrete walls near Sharafkhaneh port at Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran on December 19, 2025. Lake Urmia, once the largest lake in the Middle East, has dramatically shrunk due to prolonged drought, the damming of rivers feeding the lake, and extensive groundwater extraction in the surrounding area. Although increased rainfall and water diversion briefly helped restore water levels in 2019, renewed drought and administrative mismanagement in the early 2020s reversed the trend, and satellite imagery shows the lake has almost entirely dried up by September 2025. Photo by Morteza Aminoroayayi/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Lake Urmia Environmental Disaster - Iran

A view shows the dry bed of Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran on December 19, 2025. Lake Urmia, once the largest lake in the Middle East, has dramatically shrunk due to prolonged drought, the damming of rivers feeding the lake, and extensive groundwater extraction in the surrounding area. Although increased rainfall and water diversion briefly helped restore water levels in 2019, renewed drought and administrative mismanagement in the early 2020s reversed the trend, and satellite imagery shows the lake has almost entirely dried up by September 2025. Photo by Morteza Aminoroayayi/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Lake Urmia Environmental Disaster - Iran

A view shows a wooden pier on the dry bed of Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran on December 20, 2025. Lake Urmia, once the largest lake in the Middle East, has dramatically shrunk due to prolonged drought, the damming of rivers feeding the lake, and extensive groundwater extraction in the surrounding area. Although increased rainfall and water diversion briefly helped restore water levels in 2019, renewed drought and administrative mismanagement in the early 2020s reversed the trend, and satellite imagery shows the lake has almost entirely dried up by September 2025. Photo by Morteza Aminoroayayi/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Lake Urmia Environmental Disaster - Iran

A view shows reflections on the surface of Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran on December 18, 2025. Lake Urmia, once the largest lake in the Middle East, has dramatically shrunk due to prolonged drought, the damming of rivers feeding the lake, and extensive groundwater extraction in the surrounding area. Although increased rainfall and water diversion briefly helped restore water levels in 2019, renewed drought and administrative mismanagement in the early 2020s reversed the trend, and satellite imagery shows the lake has almost entirely dried up by September 2025. Photo by Morteza Aminoroayayi/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Lake Urmia Environmental Disaster - Iran

A car drives on the dry bed of Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran on December 19, 2025. Lake Urmia, once the largest lake in the Middle East, has dramatically shrunk due to prolonged drought, the damming of rivers feeding the lake, and extensive groundwater extraction in the surrounding area. Although increased rainfall and water diversion briefly helped restore water levels in 2019, renewed drought and administrative mismanagement in the early 2020s reversed the trend, and satellite imagery shows the lake has almost entirely dried up by September 2025. Photo by Morteza Aminoroayayi/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Lake Urmia Environmental Disaster - Iran

A view shows a mural depicting a landscape painted on a concrete wall near Sharafkhaneh port at Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran on December 19, 2025. Lake Urmia, once the largest lake in the Middle East, has dramatically shrunk due to prolonged drought, the damming of rivers feeding the lake, and extensive groundwater extraction in the surrounding area. Although increased rainfall and water diversion briefly helped restore water levels in 2019, renewed drought and administrative mismanagement in the early 2020s reversed the trend, and satellite imagery shows the lake has almost entirely dried up by September 2025. Photo by Morteza Aminoroayayi/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Lake Urmia Environmental Disaster - Iran

A view shows rows of wooden posts protruding from the dry bed of Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran on December 20, 2025. Lake Urmia, once the largest lake in the Middle East, has dramatically shrunk due to prolonged drought, the damming of rivers feeding the lake, and extensive groundwater extraction in the surrounding area. Although increased rainfall and water diversion briefly helped restore water levels in 2019, renewed drought and administrative mismanagement in the early 2020s reversed the trend, and satellite imagery shows the lake has almost entirely dried up by September 2025. Photo by Morteza Aminoroayayi/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Lake Urmia Environmental Disaster - Iran

Salt formations cover the cracked surface of the dried bed of Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran on December 19, 2025. Lake Urmia, once the largest lake in the Middle East, has dramatically shrunk due to prolonged drought, the damming of rivers feeding the lake and extensive groundwater extraction in the surrounding area. Although increased rainfall and water diversion briefly helped restore water levels in 2019, renewed drought and administrative mismanagement in the early 2020s reversed the trend, and satellite imagery shows the lake has almost entirely dried up by September 2025. Photo by Morteza Aminoroayayi/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM

E

Lake Urmia Environmental Disaster - Iran

Remains of a boat sits near the dry bed of Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran on December 20, 2025. Lake Urmia, once the largest lake in the Middle East, has dramatically shrunk due to prolonged drought, the damming of rivers feeding the lake, and extensive groundwater extraction in the surrounding area. Although increased rainfall and water diversion briefly helped restore water levels in 2019, renewed drought and administrative mismanagement in the early 2020s reversed the trend, and satellite imagery shows the lake has almost entirely dried up by September 2025. Photo by Morteza Aminoroayayi/Middle East Images/ABACAPRESS.COM