{
  "id": 17204718,
  "title": "How drought and oil expansion are eroding livelihoods in Iraq's Hawizeh Marshes",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/30/how-drought-and-oil-expansion-are-eroding-livelihoods-in-iraqs",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-30T09:23:42.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Middle East Eye",
    "slug": "middle-east-eye",
    "url": "https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/how-drought-and-oil-expansion-are-eroding-livelihoods-iraqs-hawizeh-marshes"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Unesco-protected Hawizeh Marshes in Iraq have been drying up due to drought and oil expansion, forcing residents to leave their homes and livelihoods behind. In the village of Abu Khasaf, Halima Flaih and her daughters built a small concrete structure as a gathering space, but it was damaged by years of harsh weather and neglect. Now, Flaih plans to turn this space into a micro-museum to preserve the traditional marsh culture of her people. The marshes, which have been around for millennia, are a crucial habitat for biodiversity and a source of income for local women who produce qaymar, weave bariya mats, and sell fish. However, the marshes are now at risk due to drought and the construction of earthen berms to protect oil facilities, which block water flow. As a result, residents are being pushed out to make way for heavy industry and are left to pay for water.",
  "summary": "How drought and oil expansion are eroding livelihoods in Iraq's Hawizeh Marshes Submitted by Tamara Imad on Wed, 09/02/2026 - 20:57 As the Unesco-protected wetlands dry up, residents who have long depended on this fragile ecosystem are being pushed out Off In a corner of Halima Flaih’s property in the Iraqi village of Abu Khasaf, just steps from her family’s home, a small concrete structure sits…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}