Colombia’s capital, Bogotá, will begin rationing water this week as several of its reservoirs face unprecedented lows amid a drought made worse by the El Niño climate pattern.
Speaking to the media on Monday, Bogotá Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán said reservoirs had reached “historically low” levels and been worsened by El Niño, which causes high temperatures and impedes precipitation.
Starting Thursday morning, restrictions or rationing measures will be put in place for Bogotá residents and dozens of towns and municipalities surrounding the capital, according to a handout on the city’s official website.
The measures will affect around nine million people.
The country and region have experienced long periods without rain since June 2023 due to El Niño, the city wrote on its official website.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro issued a natural disaster decree in January, allowing the government to access more resources to combat El Niño’s devastating effects, including wildfires and water stress.
