Sea of Galilee water level lowest in century – official

Agence France-Presse

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

Sea of Galilee water level lowest in century – official
The level is 20 centimeters below what experts consider acceptable, the so-called 'red line'

JERUSALEM – The lake where Christians believe Jesus walked on water has declined to its lowest level in a hundred years, an Israeli official said Tuesday.

The Sea of Galilee, which is actually a lake, has suffered from four consecutive years of rain shortages, Amir Givati of Israel’s Water Authority told military radio.

“The situation is serious,” he said. “The lake has fallen to its lowest level for a century.”

The level is 20 centimeters below what experts consider acceptable, the so-called “red line,” he added.

The “regional drought affects the whole of the Middle East,” Givati added.

The shortage of rainfall is affecting agriculture, the environment and animal life in the nearby area, he added.

The rest of Israel is spared from shortages thanks to five seawater desalination plants built along the Mediterranean coast.

They pump water through a pipeline system to homes throughout the country except for an area in northern Israel that is supposed to be supplied by the Sea of Galilee. 

“A project to supply this entire part of northern Israel is under consideration. It is a challenge for the years to come,” Givati ​​added.

Three-quarters of the drinking water consumed by Israeli households comes from these desalination plants.

The Sea of Galilee covers roughly 160 square kilometers (62 square miles) and is located 200 meters (656 feet) below sea level.

It is also an important Christian and Jewish pilgrimage site.

Christians believe the lake to be the site of a number of Jesus’s miracles, including walking on water. – Rappler.com

Add a comment

Sort by

There are no comments yet. Add your comment to start the conversation.

Summarize this article with AI

How does this make you feel?

Loading
Download the Rappler App!