Taiwan is experiencing its worst drought in 56 years, prompting the government to introduce water rationing exercise in some areas.

Many reservoirs and water bodies in central and southern Taiwan have seen a drastic decline in water levels. The water level at one of the most popular tourist attractions in central Taiwan, Sun Moon Lake, has hit record low.

Parts of the lake appeared to be completely dry.

Man retrieved his iPhone after 1 year from dried Sun Moon Lake

Local media has reported that a man surnamed Tan managed to retrieve his phone from the dried up lake recently after dropping it into the lake last March.

The iPhone 11 Pro Max was protected in the water-proof pouch while submerged in the lake over the past year.

Tan told the media that he recently shared with his wife that given the drought situation, he wondered if his phone would surface from the lake. A few days after, stand up paddling operators contacted him to tell him that his phone was found at the bed of Sun Moon Lake.

After getting his phone back and charging it, Tan found that the phone is still working.

Water rationing

In Taichung and Miaoli, water supplies will be cut for two days each week from Apr. 4, 2021, as part of a water rationing exercise to tide through the drought. More than a million of households are affected.

Authorities have started drilling wells to increase water supply for use as well.

Should the weather condition persists, more areas such as Kaohsiung and Chiayi will have to ration water too.

The prolonged dry weather is due to the lack of typhoons making landfall in the past year, which could be linked to climate change.

Top photo via Bao Fei 1 Commune/Facebook