Overextraction of Water Causes Land Subsidence in 500 Plains

Excessive water extraction from agricultural wells has caused land subsidence in many Iranian plains, leading to the decline in the quality and volume of drinking water and the evacuation of some rural areas, the spokesperson of Majlis Agriculture, Water and Natural Resources Commission said. 
“Land subsidence has occurred in about 500 plains out of 609 plains in Iran and the government should restrict the cultivation of water-intensive crops and non-strategic products,” Zabihollah Azami Sardoui was also quoted as saying by the Energy Ministry’s news portal.
Land subsidence is defined as a gradual or sudden sinking of the earth's surface owing to subsurface movement of earth materials.