February’s earthquakes have damaged the Middle East’s dams
They were already in a fragile state
The turkish authorities announced on March 30th that 140 dams had been inspected since two earthquakes hit southern Turkey and northern Syria in February. None, they insisted, was seriously damaged. Still, many in the Middle East remain fearful about the state of the more than 860 dams along the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and their tributaries.
This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “Dam-nation”
From the April 8th 2023 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the edition
Israel’s army adopts a high-stakes new strategy: more terrain
It remains present inside Syria, Lebanon, Gaza and the West Bank
The sea is swallowing an African island
In Sierra Leone, adjusting to a warmer climate is getting harder
In a dictator’s palace, Syrians debate a new constitution
Ahmed al-Sharaa will soon have to reveal how sincere he is about the new, inclusive Syria
Could political upheaval hit Jordan next?
Resurgent Islamists and chaos in the West Bank may threaten Jordan’s king
Israel and Hamas have something in common
They both want to avoid a ceasefire collapse, for a few more weeks
How to make cash in Africa’s coup belt
Mining multinationals are learning to do business with juntas