Authorities in Tunisia are beginning to restrict water supplies, including drinking water, in an apparent effort to combat severe drought.

Reports from Tunisia’s capital city Tunis and other areas suggest water supplies are being cut off overnight to ease demand.

The move was not announced ahead of time although the idea had been raised by water companies as a possibility for the summer months.

A threat of water scarcity prompted the early implementation, according to a Tunisian government official.

The north African country has seen little rainfall in recent months, resulting in water levels in dams across the country falling by almost 1 billion cubic metres since last September.

A target of desalinating 650 million cubic metres of water a day and reusing 350 million cubic metres of wastewater was announced last week to maintain food security in the agricultural sector.

Tunisia’s largest embankment dam, the Sidi Salem Dam, provides safe drinking water to many regions but is currently at just 16% of its maximum capacity.

Drought has remained a constant stressor in the country for three years as severe heat accompanies the lack of rainfall.

Elsewhere, the Horn of Africa is also in the grip of extreme drought considered the most severe for 70 years.