A severe drought has brought Lake Kariba, the world’s largest artificial lake, to dangerously low levels, threatening to shut down the dam that powers much of Zambia and Zimbabwe’s electricity. Prolonged dry spells, exacerbated by the El Niño effect, have led to drastic power cuts—up to 21 hours daily in Zambia and 17 in Zimbabwe—impacting livelihoods and weakening already struggling economies. This is because the declining water level has led the dam’s power stations to ration output. In fact, only one turbine of six remains in operation on Zambia’s side of the lake. The crisis highlights the urgent need for diverse energy sources, with both countries accelerating plans for coal and solar plants. While Zambia’s upcoming rainy season is forecast to be normal, officials hope for early rains to alleviate the crisis as economic growth projections for both nations are revised downward.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN
