Satellite images show where water is disappearing globally: Key locations explained (opens original article in a new tab)

Satellite images reveal global water loss, with significant examples including shrinking rivers, lakes, and dams in South America, the Middle East, and North America, according to a 2025 World Bank report.

• A 2025 World Bank report states the world loses 324 trillion litres of freshwater annually, enough for 280 million people
• South America's second-largest river saw water levels drop between 1990 and 2026, affecting hydroelectric output and logistics
• Lake Poopo in Bolivia disappeared completely between 1984 and 2020, while Lake Ngami nearly dried up due to severe droughts
• Lake Urmia in Iran shrank to less than 10% of its 1990s size, and Lake Mead in the US showed significant decline between 1984 and 2020