BEIRUT, July 27 (Xinhua) -- Hassib Abdallah stands at the edge of his orchard near the western border of Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, his expression heavy with despair. Around him, the once-lush trees now look brittle and sunburned, their leaves yellowing and curling inwards.
"This is unlike anything we've ever seen," Abdallah says. "The springs are dry. The rivers are gone. Even the wells can't help us now."
Lebanon, renowned for its varied climate and plentiful natural springs, is now facing an unprecedented drought, with rainfall levels plummeting by over 60 percent during the 2024-2025 season.
According to Lebanon's Agricultural Research Institute, snowfall was almost nonexistent this year in several mountainous regions, and even where snow did fall, it melted rapidly -- failing to replenish the country's rivers, springs, and underground reservoirs.
In a recent statement, Lebanon's Ministry of Energy and Water confirmed that rainfall dropped by 40 percent this year, impacting both surface and underground water sources.
"Lebanon is in the grip of a severe drought not seen in over six decades," said Kamal Khair, a Lebanese geologist. "This is not a one-off dry season. This is a new climate pattern driven by global warming and compounded by poor local preparedness."
As humidity levels decline and typical winter storms pass by, Lebanon's vital water sources -- including the iconic springs of Al-Biyada, Hasbani, and Al-Yamouna -- have completely dried up.
Farmers like Abdallah are among the most severely affected. His fruit trees, once abundant with cherries and apricots, now struggle to survive.
"In the past, we relied on rain, wells, and natural springs," he explains. "This year, there is nothing. Our lands are thirsty, and so are we."
Further north in the Bekaa Valley, Hussein Darwish, another farmer, laments a devastating loss, "I used to make 25,000 U.S. dollars a year from my orchard. This year, I barely made 5,000 dollars. I've lost 80 percent of my apricot and cherry harvest."
A sharp spike in fuel prices -- with diesel climbing by 3 dollars in less than three weeks -- has only worsened the situation, making well irrigation prohibitively expensive.
The Hasbani River, once one of Lebanon's vital waterways, has nearly vanished. In a last-ditch effort to rescue its remaining aquatic life, local mayor Labib Al-Hamra and a group of environmental volunteers launched a campaign to relocate surviving fish from the river's shrinking pools to the still-flowing Hasbani spring upstream.
"Whole stretches of the river have gone dry," Al-Hamra said. "Irrigation has stopped, fish are dying, and over a hundred riverside businesses -- from resorts to restaurants -- have been crippled."
The Litani River, Lebanon's longest, has also seen a sharp drop in water flow into Lake Qaraoun, the country's largest artificial lake. According to Sami Alawieh, head of the Litani River Authority, water levels have dropped to below 60 million cubic meters -- far short of the seasonal average of 233 million.
This decline has led to the closure of a nearby hydroelectric plant, worsening Lebanon's already severe electricity crisis.
A recent UN report warns that over 1.2 million people in Lebanon may soon lose access to safe drinking water unless urgent action is taken. Meanwhile, water tankers have become both scarce and expensive, making clean water a luxury in many rural and urban communities.
Amidst the unprecedented drought, local experts are urging the government to take measures.
"Lebanon can no longer depend on outdated water policies," said Khair. "Without immediate investment in water infrastructure, drought resilience, and climate adaptation, the crisis will deepen." ■
