Colombia has started rationing water to alleviate droughts wrought by the El Nino weather pattern, which has exacerbated the Andean country's dry season and caused reservoir levels to fall.

Santa Marta

Colombia has initiated water rationing measures as the country grapples with severe drought conditions intensified by the El Niño weather phenomenon. The drought, affecting the Andean nation's dry season, has led to a significant decrease in reservoir levels, prompting the government to take action to mitigate water consumption.

Residents in the city of Santa Marta have been spotted lining up to receive water from trucks, a scene that reflects the urgent water scarcity facing the nation. The country's infrastructure operators have reported that Colombia's reservoirs are now at just 28.75 percent of their capacity. This marks a decline of more than 3 percent below the lowest April levels recorded over the past two decades, underscoring the critical nature of the current water shortage.

Local media have highlighted the drought's severity, indicating that the situation is exacerbated by unprecedented high temperatures affecting the planet. The arrival of the El Niño phenomenon towards the end of 2023 has further elevated temperatures and drought conditions, leading to forest fires across Colombia and bringing reservoir levels to their lowest in decades.

Jorge Escobar, an engineering professor at Havariana University, explained that the lack of rain in the mountains has dire implications for the country. Since mountain rainfall is a primary source of water for cities and energy generation, the insufficient precipitation has resulted in depleted reservoirs, endangering the ability to meet urban water demands.

The President of Colombia has acknowledged the critical situation as evidence of a wider climate crisis, emphasizing that the effects cannot be attributed solely to El Niño. This stance reflects the government's concern over the environmental challenges facing the country and the urgent need for solutions to address the water scarcity crisis.



Colombia faces water rationing as reservoirs dry up

In the city of Santa Marta, Colombia, residents can be seen lining up for water from a truck. People across the country face water rationing as reservoirs dry up. Colombia's government has announced new measures to cut consumption as dry weather persists. According to infrastructure operators, Colombia's reservoirs are now at 28.75 percent capacity. Local media reported Wednesday that this was more than 3 percent, below the lowest level recorded for April over the past 20 years. We are still influenced by high temperatures in the two oceans. The situation is unprecedented in the planet's history, and we are still affected in general by high temperatures and situations that may appear in the atmosphere. The El Niño phenomenon arrived in Colombia at the end of 2023, causing high temperatures and droughts that led to forest fires throughout the Andean country. That has pushed reservoirs to their lowest levels in decades. Jorge Escobar is an engineering professor at Havariana University. Throughout the year, it hasn't rained in the mountains. The water that falls on mountains is the water cities use and generate energy. As there hasn't been enough rain, the reservoirs have diminished until something must be done as the amount of water in the reservoirs is not enough to fulfill the city's demand. Colombia's president says it's all evidence of a climate crisis, and can't just be blame on El Niño.

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