The Stream, May 21: Armed Group Cuts Off the Main Water Supply to Tripoli, Libya

The Global Rundown

An armed group cuts off the main water supply to embattled Tripoli, Libya. A heatwave strikes Odisha, India, as residents struggle to recover from Cyclone Fani. Ethiopia begins electricity rationing as water levels fall in hydroelectric dams. The seven Colorado Basin states officially sign the Colorado River Drought Contingency Plan. South Korea says it will send aid to drought-hit North Korea.

“[T]he cyclone took away all our shade giving trees and uprooted electricity poles. And with electricity yet to be restored, the heat is sapping. I feel helpless.” –Mohammed Tazmul Hussein, a resident of Odisha, India, in reference to a scorching heatwave in the wake of Cyclone Fani, which struck Odisha two weeks ago. An estimated 10 million people were affected by the cyclone, and thousands are without adequate food, water, and shelter. Reuters

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By The Numbers

2.5 million Residents of Tripoli, Libya, which has been embroiled in conflict for the past several months. On Sunday, gunmen forced workers to turn off the main water pipeline to Tripoli. Reuters

$8 million Amount of humanitarian aid that South Korea has pledged to send to North Korea, which is reportedly experiencing its worst drought in decades. South Korea says it will channel the aid through the World Food Programme and the UN Children’s Fund. TIME

In context: HotSpots H2O: Lowest Rainfall In Decades Pushes North Korea Toward Famine.

Science, Studies, and Reports

The seven Colorado Basin states gathered at the Hoover Dam on Monday to officially sign the Colorado River Drought Contingency Plan. The plan, which involved years of negotiations, provides a roadmap for water-sharing among the seven states and 10 million people reliant on water from the Colorado River. AZ Central

On the Radar

Ethiopia is rationing electricity to homes and businesses as water levels fall below-average in the country’s hydropower dams. Ethiopia’s electricity exports to Djibouti and Sudan are also on hold. Reuters

Kayla Ritter

Kayla Ritter is a recent graduate of Michigan State University, where she studied International Relations and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. She is currently based in Manton, Michigan. Kayla enjoys running, writing, and traveling. Contact Kayla Ritter