A flock of buffaloes is seen during the sunset at the Chebayesh marsh in Dhi Qar province, Iraq April 13, 2019. Picture taken April 13, 2019.
Iraqi Marsh Arab girls walk near buffaloes at the Chebayesh marsh in Dhi Qar province, Iraq April 13, 2019. Picture taken April 13, 2019.
An Iraqi Marsh Arab girl paddles her boat at the Chebayesh marsh in Dhi Qar province, Iraq April 13, 2019. Picture taken April 13, 2019.
An Iraqi Marsh Arab woman paddles her boat at the Chebayesh marsh in Dhi Qar province, Iraq April 14, 2019. Picture taken April 14, 2019.
An Iraqi Marsh Arab man sits on a boat at the Chebayesh marsh in Dhi Qar province, Iraq April 13, 2019. Picture taken April 13, 2019. REUTERS/Thaier al-Sudani
A buffalo wades in the waters of Chebayesh marsh in Dhi Qar province, Iraq April 13, 2019. Picture taken April 13, 2019.
Iraqi Marsh Arab people ride their boats as they collect reeds at the Chebayesh marsh in Dhi Qar province, Iraq April 14, 2019. Picture taken April 14, 2019.
An Iraqi Marsh Arab carries reeds at the Chebayesh marsh in Dhi Qar province, Iraq April 14, 2019. Picture taken April 14, 2019.
An Iraqi Marsh Arab man smoke cigarettes near buffaloes at the Chebayesh marsh in Dhi Qar province, Iraq April 13, 2019. Picture taken April 13, 2019. Image for illustrative purposes.
Buffaloes are seen at the Chebayesh marsh in Dhi Qar province, Iraq April 13, 2019. Picture taken April 13, 2019.
An Iraqi Marsh Arab man fishes at the Chebayesh marsh in Dhi Qar province, Iraq April 13, 2019. Picture taken April 13, 2019.
A flock of buffaloes is seen during the sunset at the Chebayesh marsh in Dhi Qar province, Iraq April 13, 2019. Picture taken April 13, 2019.
An Iraqi Marsh Arab man sits in his house which is made of reeds at the Chebayesh marsh in Dhi Qar province, Iraq April 13, 2019. Picture taken April 13, 2019.
An Iraqi Marsh Arab woman guides a flock of buffaloes at the Chebayesh marsh in Dhi Qar province, Iraq April 13, 2019. Picture taken April 13, 2019.
An Iraqi Marsh Arab woman is pictured in a boat at the Chebayesh marsh in Dhi Qar province, Iraq April 13, 2019. Picture taken April 13, 2019.
A flock of buffaloes is seen during the sunset at the Chebayesh marsh in Dhi Qar province, Iraq April 13, 2019. Picture taken April 13, 2019.
LinkSpace's co-founder and CEO Hu Zhenyu is seen at the company's development site in Longkou, Shandong province, China, April 17, 2019. REUTERS/Jason Lee TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
LinkSpace's reusable rocket RLV-T5, also known as NewLine Baby, returns to the landing site during a test launch on a vacant plot of land near the company's development site in Longkou, Shandong province, China, April 19, 2019. REUTERS/Jason Lee
Iraqi Marsh Arab houses which are made of reeds are seen at the Chebayesh marsh in Dhi Qar province, Iraq April 13, 2019. Picture taken April 13, 2019.
An Iraqi Marsh Arab man collects fishes at the Chebayesh marsh in Dhi Qar province, Iraq April 14, 2019. Picture taken April 14, 2019.
An Iraqi Marsh Arab paddles his boat as he collects reeds at the Chebayesh marsh in Dhi Qar province, Iraq April 14, 2019. Picture taken April 14, 2019.
Rainfall revives Iraq's marshlands
This time last year, most of Iraq's historic marshlands were dry, desiccated by upstream damming and a chronic lack of rainfall. Now, local farmers are counting their blessings after unexpected heavy rainfall at the end of 2018 caused the dams to overflow by early January and water came gushing back to the wetlands in southeastern Iraq.
