TEHRAN, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Iranian authorities on Wednesday closed government offices in 22 provinces, including Tehran, and reduced working hours in four others to manage water and electricity shortages during a record heatwave.

The decision was made as temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius nationwide, nearing 50 degrees Celsius in some regions.

It also followed an "unprecedented" drought, with precipitation from the beginning of the current water year, which started on Sept 22, 2024, declining by 40 percent from the long-term average recorded in the same period of the previous water year, the official news agency IRNA reported Wednesday, quoting the Iran Water Resources Management.

According to IRNA, dams now hold only 44 percent of capacity, while southern provinces like Hormozgan and Fars face total depletion. Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA), citing Iranian Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi, reported Wednesday that Tehran's dams recorded a 50-percent drop in water intake.

He also confirmed a 41-percent rainfall decrease in Tehran.

The Tehran Province Water and Wastewater Company said Wednesday that it will suspend water supply to all public and private pools as of Thursday until further notice, IRNA reported.

During a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian acknowledged that past efforts have failed to resolve the crisis, and demanded "immediate actions."

An analysis piece of ISNA said that decades of unsustainable farming and industrial projects in arid zones, as well as subsidized water prices are key factors aggravating the crisis. ■