Tunisian Drought Prompts Fear of a "Thirst Uprising"
Religious leaders in Tunisia are calling on people to pray for rain as a severe drought prompts street protests and fears of a "thirst uprising".
Protesters are demanding action from the government following one of the driest summers on record during a year in which the country's precious rainfall is down by some 30%, causing agricultural losses of nearly two billion dinars (£685m).
Water scarcity has long been a problem for Tunisia but the challenge has been exacerbated by demand from agriculture and industry that has been increasing by an average of 4% per year borne of growing urbanisation and consumption.
Dennis Jarvis