Panama faces severe water crisis due to El Niño
Due to water shortages, ship transits have already been restricted, and the drought threatens Panama's farmers, drinking water supply, and energy sector.
In Panama's Azuero region, the rainy season brought too little precipitation. Reservoirs, streams, and rivers did not replenish, and pastures did not recover before the dry season.
Farmers fear there will be nothing to water and feed their animals, forcing them to sell part of their livestock, including valuable breeding animals.
Minister of the Environment Juan Navarro stated that climate change has made the El Niño phenomenon more frequent and severe. According to him, the current episode may turn out to be the strongest in history, and its consequences for the country will further intensify.
The Panama Canal contributes up to 7.7% of the country's GDP, and approximately 5% of global maritime trade passes through it. The Gatun and Alajuela reservoirs also supply drinking water to around 2 million people and support hydroelectric power generation.
Authorities are allocating around $1.5 billion for the construction of a reservoir on the Indio River. The project is intended to replenish Gatun Lake, but it will result in the flooding of lands belonging to 550 families.
Navarro believes that in addition to the drought, the problems include worn-out infrastructure and losses in the water supply system. For Azuero farmers, long-term projects do not address the shortage of feed already expected in the upcoming dry season.
