MUTHANNA, Iraq — Lake Sawa in Muthanna province is an unusual oasis in an arid desert, and a mysterious one at that, boasting religious significance and its own version of the Loch Ness Monster.
The salty lake is enclosed, an endorheic basin like the Great Salt Lake in Utah, with no obvious water inlet or outlet. Over time, the area was transformed into a religious site and eventually took on even greater importance to Shiites in the region who believe that when the lake dries out, Imam Mahdi will come to bring justice on Earth and signify that the end of days is near.
