Tehran, Mar. 8, (dpa/GNA) – Iranian authorities warned on Saturday of a significant water shortage in the capital Tehran, given the ongoing and worsening drought.

An important reservoir near Tehran is only 7% full due to low rainfall, the managing director of the water resource management company told the state news agency Irna.

“This has never happened since the dam was first used,” said Mohammed Jawanbacht. Even at the end of winter, he called on the capital’s residents to save water.

Another dam has now dried up so much that drivers are racing through the mud on off-road motorbikes, videos posted on social media show.

And it’s not just the capital city. Authorities across the country have recorded a drop in precipitation of almost 50% compared to the long-term average.

The lack of water is likely to be felt most keenly in summer, when temperatures often rise to more than 40 degrees Celsius in the city, which is home to millions.

The advancing desertification in the dry provinces has already led to increased migration to the metropolises in recent years.

GNA