Iraq: 3.5m civilians threatened with death in Basra

Cholera and cancer epidemics would spread across Iraq if water salinity continues to rise, official Iraqi sources warned today.

The health directory of the Iraqi province of Basra announced that “the increase in water salinity and pollution in Basra will lead to an increase in the poisoning cases and the spread of diseases across the city.”

“Basra residents are threatened with death,” the directorate stressed.

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Iraq’s Ministry of Water Resources, the directorate added, has been responsible for the increase of Basra’s water pollution which had led to the prevalence of various diseases across the city.

The Basra directorate called on the Iraqi government to intervene to rescue the Basra 3.5 million population from being infected with lethal diseases.