Iraqis drink dirty water from wells. Others comb hospitals searching for medicine. Civilians pose as soldiers and try to surrender, hoping US or British forces will feed them.
A humanitarian crisis is unfolding in southern Iraq five days into the US-British invasion aimed at toppling Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
The biggest grievance is lack of water, with supplies cut off by a thunderous ground and air assault in the south, home to Iraq's Shiite Muslims, many of whom are eager to see Saddam go.
"We need water. All we can do is dig for water in wells. It is water that even animals would not drink," said 30-year-old Muhammad Ali, who is unemployed.
The voices on the ground in this southern town, some 20km south of the major city of Basra, give weight to the crisis warnings from aid agencies and the UN.
On Monday, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan called for rapid action to help the people of Basra, home to some 2 million people and Iraq's second largest city, get adequate water supplies.
"I think urgent measures should be taken to restore electricity and water to that population," he said. "Apart from the water aspect, you can imagine what it does for sanitation."
Basra's main Wafa al-Qaed water treatment plant has been out of action due to a power outage since Friday. And while other plants can supply about 40 percent of usual needs, the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva describes the situation as an emergency.
Near Zubayr, some civilians can be seen walking to the checkpoints set up by the invading forces. The civilians pretend to be Iraqi soldiers who want to surrender, a move to secure US military "meals-ready-to eat" and bottles of mineral water. But they are turned away after failing to present proper identification.
At one checkpoint, Iraqis with blankets and pots piled in the back of pick-up trucks streamed out of the town of al-Zubayr. They said armed members of the ruling Baath party were intimidating the civilians in the town which was why many were leaving.
"They took my three sons and executed them this morning behind the hospital in al-Zubayr," said Adil Sughayar, waving his hands in the air.
When Iraqis are not worrying about food and water supplies, they dread what could happen if Saddam survives the US and British military firepower.
The southern port city of Umm Qasr has been pounded by shells for days.
But according to at least some citizens it is the Baath Party members who have paralyzed the town with fear.
"The Americans think there are Republican Guards in the city. It's only 10 men with old rifles who are resisting," said Ali Mohammed, an army deserter.
"We would like to kill the 10 men but we are afraid that if the Americans don't win Saddam will slit our throats."
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