Iran: opponents of the drying up of Lake Oroumieh arrested by the authorities

In this photo from Sunday, Feb. 16, 2014, the wreckage of a boat is stuck in the solidified salts and sands of Lake Oroumieh in northwestern Iran.

AP - Ebrahim Noroozi

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

The almost complete drying up of one of the world's largest hypersaline lakes, Lake Oroumieh in northwestern Iran, has sparked angry protests in the city of the same name.

Several people were arrested.

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With our correspondent in Tehran, 

The demonstrators denounced the incompetence of local and governmental authorities.

Videos have been posted on social media showing protesters shouting slogans against the authorities.

Following these demonstrations, several people were arrested.

They are accused of wanting to disrupt security and public order. 

The drying up of Lake Oroumieh which began in the 1990s is considered an ecological disaster for this mountainous region.

The increasing number of deep wells dug in the region for agriculture is one of the causes of this drying up.

Media reported that some of the money allocated to protect the lake was used for the election campaign of

.

The slow and sad demise of #Iran's Lake Oroumieh http://t.co/EqFunnZCeq via @GaryLewisUN pic.twitter.com/17YPw28qPs

— Nader Itayim |

‌‌نادر ایتیّم (@ncitayim) January 22, 2015

Drought and lack of rain in recent years has aggravated the lake's situation.

Its complete drying out could spell disaster for the entire northwestern region of Iran.

Indeed, the salt from the lake can spread throughout the region with strong winds and compromise agriculture in this area rich in wheat and other agricultural products.

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• Iran

• Environment

• Climate change