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Marrakech – Researchers from the University of Malta, the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV), and the University of Rome have made a groundbreaking discovery beneath the southeastern coast of Sicily.
The massive freshwater aquifer could potentially alleviate droughts in Morocco and other Mediterranean countries, according to a report by Directo al Paladar.
The aquifer, estimated to contain 17.4 million cubic meters of water, is located between 700 and 2,500 meters below the Ibleas Mountains in the provinces of Ragusa, Syracuse, and Catania.
Scientists believe that this water was trapped by various masses of land approximately six million years ago during the Triassic period.
The discovery was made using techniques commonly employed in oil explorations, and researchers suggest that the water could be utilized for human consumption, industry, and agriculture.
To put the magnitude of this finding into perspective, the total water resources in Spain, including reservoirs and groundwater, are estimated to be around 100 million cubic meters.
The revelation of this aquifer opens up the possibility for other Mediterranean countries, particularly those along the southern margin, such as Algeria, Libya, Malta, Morocco, and Tunisia, to explore similar underground treasures that may have been created during the Triassic period.
The potential impact of this discovery on drought-stricken regions in the Mediterranean cannot be overstated.
Morocco, in particular, has been grappling with severe water scarcity issues, and the presence of such a significant freshwater source could provide much-needed relief to the country’s agriculture, industry, and population.
Read also: BBC Analysis: Morocco Faces Severe Drought as Al Massira Reservoir Dries Up
