Sicily, a southern island of Italy, is grappling with a severe water shortage amid persisting drought, which has dealt heavy blows to local agriculture and livestock and incurred losses of over 2.5 billion euros, according to the local agricultural authorities.
As a major grain producer of Italy, Sicily has suffered a prolonged drought for several years, which has led to grain output reduction, with the most hit farmers losing over 90 percent of grain output. Some farmers have been compelled to plant other crops or turn their land for different uses.
Giuseppe Li Rosi, a local farmer in central Sicily, faced an economic loss of 170,000 euros this year due to the drought. To deal with the situation, he upgraded his farm's irrigation system, and is eager to see more rainfall next year.
"The problems of drought have sustained, and the lakes and reservoirs are nearly dry up. The little precipitation would be quickly sucked by the arid land, after all, we've had little rain in the past two years," said Li Rosi.
According to the agricultural authorities of Sicily Region, 70 percent of the local farms were hit hard by the water scarcity, incurring economic losses of up to 2.5 billion euros. The output of traditional crops of the island, like wheat, olives and citrus, declined drastically, and the livestock sector was also hit hard.
Scientists and environmentalists pointed out that the underlying reason for the drought is climate change. According to the forecasts of climatologists, one-third of the land on Sicily Island will face the threat of desertification by 2030.
Persisting drought deals heavy blow to Sicily's agriculture
The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.
In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.
"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.
Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.
The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."
Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.
President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.
Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.
Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.
The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.
Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests
