One of India's largest cities is running out of water
A major city in India is running out of water and is currently importing water via trains in an effort to cope.
Photographs and videos have emerged on social media of locals in Chennai, India, queuing up to fill vessels with drinking water from 'water trucks'.
Local media has reported that taps have run dry and there is a scramble when the trucks carrying water to Chennai arrive.
Chennai is the sixth most populous city in India with approximately 4.6 million people in the city.
Train carrying water leaves for Chennai from Jolarpettai. pic.twitter.com/cS7BeyUke7
— Anna Isaac (@anna_isaac) July 12, 2019
It has three rivers and numerous lakes spreading across the city. However, due to urbanisation, these bodies of water and wetlands have shrunk.
An article by the Economist reported that in 2015, the quantity of wetlands had decreased from 650 to just 27.
According to online reports, there is a ration of five buckets a day to be used for drinking, cooking, bathing and washing clothes. Chennai is currently experiencing high temperatures of 36 C.
India Today reported that today's distribution of water from the trains was stalled in order to take picture of the train's arrival. The local news reported that the train arrived at 11am, but water was only distributed at 3pm.
