Armageddon in 15 years? A 2040 forecast about THIS river is triggering 'end times' warnings

The Euphrates river that runs through Turkey, Syria and Iraq, has been linked to a Biblical prophecy, which states that if this river dries up, the apocalypse will follow. Believers are now concerned since, according to scientists, large parts of the giant river will vanish in the next few decades. The Euphrates has gained a reputation in religious texts and is mentioned in the Book of Revelation. The river has sustained civilisations and trade routes in the region known as "the cradle of civilisation". As is the case with other large rivers, humans have set up homes and built lives around the Euphrates as well.

But climate change has brought a dramatic shift in the structure of the river, and it has started shrinking. In the past few decades, human activity has warmed up Earth to the point where droughts and rising temperatures are changing our planet. The extreme environmental conditions have set the stage for the eventual destruction of humans. Also Read: 5,000-year-old mystery: Scientists discover Stone Age apocalypse in tomb of two peoples

The Euphrates has also taken the hit and is fast drying out. According to a recent warning, it could disappear by 2040 if the climate situation does not abate. A Daily Mail report cites satellite imaging to suggest that the Euphrates River basin has lost more than 34 cubic miles of freshwater since 2003. Millions of people rely on the river for fresh water, and its vanishing will be nothing less than a catastrophe. River basins also irrigate fields, and their absence will result in a drastic reduction in food production. Also Read: Apocalypse an inevitable reality for humans today, whether caused by human stupidity or divinity

Meanwhile, for those who believe in world-ending prophecies, the drying up signifies a major cataclysm for humanity. The Book of Revelation states that when this river no longer exists, the world will witness a final upheaval, which will result in the end of all life forms on Earth. It is mentioned as a strategic and spiritual boundary whose removal will signal a major shift towards the final conflict of the age. Also Read: Rapture did not happen, but another world-ending event has been prophesied for 2026

Euphrates in The Bible

The ancient river finds prominent mention in the Book of Revelation and the Book of Genesis. The former is often called the Apocalypse of John and is the final book of the New Testament. It is written in a style known as "apocalyptic literature," and describes the ultimate conflict between good and evil. The Sixth Bowl carries the most famous reference to the apocalypse. "The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East," it reads. The river is seen as a natural barrier between the West (Israel/Mediterranean) and the East (Persia/Asia). The "drying up" of the river signifies the removal of a final defence, allowing vast eastern armies to march toward Armageddon.

With a major river gone, people will be left staring at emptiness. A report published in the British Medical Journal that conditions in Iraq are worsening and access to clean water has become difficult.