Up to 600,000 without water in war-torn Mosul as officials warn of major health crisis

UP to 600,000 people are without water in war-torn Mosul as the battle to push Isis out of the city continues.

Officials are warning of a "humanitarian catastrophe" amid fears the shortage could spark a major health crisis in the Iraqi city.

A pipeline is believed to have been damaged as a ferocious battle between Iraqi forces and Isis jihadis continues.

Basma Basseem, from Mosul municipality, said: "There is a major shortage of water in many districts on the eastern side."

She said up to 600,000 people living on that side of the Tigris river, which splits the city in two, could be affected.

Some residents said the water shortage was caused by air strikes from the US-led coalition damaging a pipe.

But, Basseem suggested that the Isis fighters may have intentionally stopped the flow.

Iraqi commanders have said that about 40 percent of the eastern half of Mosul has been retaken from the jihadists since a huge offensive began on October 17.

The forces have told civilians to stay at home in order to avoid a further crisis if the million plus population were to leave on mass.

But, the lack of clean drinking water could make it difficult for residents to remain.

"There is no water - we drink water from the well. It's very salty and we have to boil it before we drink it," Umm Ahraf, a 45-year-old woman, told AFP.

"We don't have water at all, we need it, it's the most important thing, how can we live without it?" asked an old man living in the same neighbourhood.

Another resident of eastern Mosul said people in areas of eastern Mosul reclaimed from Isis were asking Iraqi forces for their bottled water.

Abdelkarim al-Obeidi, the secretary general of the local civil society organisation Mosul People Gathering, warned of a "humanitarian disaster" in the making.

He said: "The government as well as aid organisations must step up and offer assistance to the people, especially those families forced to drink water from the wells that is not fit for drinking."

The progress of Iraqi forces that vastly outnumber the estimated 5,000 jihadists defending their last major bastion in Iraq has been slowed by the presence of a large civilian population often used by Isis as human shields.

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