Water is now gold for desperate Venezuelans

From the poorest of slums to the wealthiest neighbourhoods, the Venezuelans have been struggling with shortage of water access. (Reuters)

A 5 litre bottle costs about USD 2 which is out of reach for many low income families in Venezuela where monhtly minimum wage is around USD 6 per month. (Reuters)

President Nicolas Maduro's government blames the scarcity of water on a long drought and also accuses opponents of sabotaging its supply. (Reuters)

Faced with uncertainty of when it might return, and whether it would be enough, families in Venezuela are conserving as much as water as they can take from rivers or buy at shops. They are bathing, washing clothes and dishes and cooking with just a few liters a day. (Reuters)

Some residents have already exhausted their water supplies. (Reuters)

The country's opposition, led by Juan Guaido, says the problem is due to little maintenance done over many years on Venezuela's power and water networks. (Reuters)