BEIRUT, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- Salim Ghayyad's life is a constant struggle against scarcity.

Displaced from his home near the Lebanese-Israeli border and now living in Marjeyoun, southern Lebanon, he spends 100 U.S. dollars a month on a single tractor-trailer of water to supply his family of eight.

In a region plagued by frequent power cuts, more than 40 dollars a month is also a necessity for fuel to run a private generator, compounding the crisis further.

"It's an impossible burden," said Ghayyad, unemployed and facing the harsh reality of life on the border with Israel.

Southern Lebanon is in the throes of a deepening water and electricity crisis, exacerbated in recent weeks by Israeli shelling of critical infrastructure.

Security officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the attacks have targeted power lines, water pumping stations, and other essential facilities.

Repairing the damage is a perilous undertaking, often requiring coordination with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon to ensure the safety of workers, according to the officials.

The South Lebanon Water Establishment has been crippled by the power outages. While solar power systems were initially a lifeline, they, too, have fallen victim to Israeli attacks.

"We are unable to pump water," said a water authority official, describing a situation that has left many communities parched.

The Lebanese state electricity company, Electricite du Liban, has also been hard hit. Bombing and fuel shortages forced widespread power cuts, affecting an estimated 60 border towns and 80 nearby communities.

The consequences for residents are dire.

Hamed Baraka, a local resident, said people are resorting to buying expensive bottled water or collecting water from springs and rivers.

"It's a disgrace," he said. "Our country is rich in water, but we are suffering like this."

Local officials are struggling to cope. Hasbaya Mayor Labib al-Hamra has installed a generator at a local pumping station but acknowledged the limitations.

"We've asked people to ration water," he said, adding that the municipality is seeking exemptions from utility bills for displaced residents.

With an estimated 133,600 people living in the border region and 100,000 displaced by ongoing conflict, the crisis is a humanitarian catastrophe in the making. As winter approaches, the situation is expected to worsen, raising fears of a public health emergency. Enditem

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