Source of life, source of danger
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A young Afghan refugee drinks from a hand pump in a slum area on the outskirts of Islamabad, Pakistan. Keystone -
The dried up bed of the Jialing River at the foot of the city of Chongqing, in south-west China. Keystone -
Women make their way home after collecting fresh water from a water point on the outskirts of Islamabad, Pakistan. Keystone -
A young boy runs across a parched field in Berhampur, in the Indian state of Orissa. Keystone -
Flooded livestock sheds in Pennsylvania, United States. Keystone -
A flooded village in Mandalay, Myanmar. swissinfo.ch -
A flooded Honda Motor factory in Ayutthaya province, Thaïland. Keystone -
The Matte neighbourhood in Bern is often flooded when the Aare River bursts its banks. swissinfo.ch -
A burst dam in February 2012 caused enormous damage at Harmanly, east of the Bulgarian capital Sofia. Keystone -
Watering the fields at Landquart, canton Graubünden. Keystone -
Hand watering the crops near Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Keystone -
The Atatürk Dam on the Euphrates River in south-east Anatolia, Turkey, is used for both irrigation and electricity generation. R. Amiet -
Hydro power station near Eglisau, canton Zurich. Keystone -
The Grande Dixence dam, canton Valais. Keystone -
Cooling off at Parliament House Square, Bern. Keystone
Without water there would be no life. We drink it, wash with it, grow food with it and generate energy with it. But if the scarcity of water is one of the greatest problems of our times, its abundance can also be devastating.
This content was published on June 11, 2012 - 11:01
(Images: swissinfo.ch/Keystone)
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