U.S. declares drought disaster for 26 Puerto Rican municipalities as water crisis deepens

The United States declared a drought disaster for 26 municipalities in Puerto Rico, a request made by Governor Jenniffer González to the Department of Agriculture. The affected areas—such as Cabo Rojo, Ponce, Yauco, Aibonito and Lares—now qualify for emergency agricultural loans, according to Agriculture Secretary Irving Rodríguez. Extreme drought conditions cover more than a third of the territory, with July marking the driest in over 120 years and the second hottest month in San Juan.

Farmers, especially those growing hydroponic vegetables, fruits and raising livestock, have been forced to stop work, sell animals at low prices, and even seek other jobs. The governor declared a state of emergency, deployed the National Guard to distribute water, and instituted rotating water rationing for over 180,000 customers. Meteorologists link the prolonged dryness to an El Niño cycle that also affects the U.S. Virgin Islands, where a similar disaster declaration was issued earlier this month.