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Turkey’s farmers are facing catastrophic levels of drought despite rains that initially staved off panic at the start of the year as reservoir levels shrunk to less than a quarter of their capacity.
Water levels around Istanbul – home to about
a fifth of Turkey’s population – fell to less than 25 per cent of their full capacity in January after months with no rain
. Officials issued a warning at the time
that the city would run out of water in 45 days.
TV bulletins switched between footage of people praying for rain and maps of the country coloured a deep red to indicate dire groundwater conditions.