America News Agency

Experts have warned that Kabul could become the first modern city to completely run out of water.

According to a report by Mercy Corps, water levels in Kabul’s sources have dropped by as much as 30 meters over the past decade due to rapid urbanization and climate degradation.

Meanwhile, nearly half of the city’s boreholes — the main source of drinking water for Kabul residents — have dried up. Water extraction now exceeds the natural replenishment rate by 44 million cubic meters annually.

If these trends continue, all of Kabul’s water sources could be depleted as early as 2030, posing an existential threat to its seven million inhabitants.

Mercy Corps Afghanistan Country Director Dayne Curry said, “A determined effort is needed to better document this and draw international attention to the need to address the crisis. The absence of water means people will be forced to leave their communities. If the international community fails to address Afghanistan’s water needs, it will only result in more migration and further hardship for the Afghan people.”