Mexico Hit By Lowest Rainfall In 68 Years

Typography
Mexico is suffering from its driest year in 68 years, killing crops and cattle in the countryside and forcing the government to slow the flow of water to the crowded capital. There is insufficient data to say how much global warming can be blamed, a senior official said.

Mexico is suffering from its driest year in 68 years, killing crops and cattle in the countryside and forcing the government to slow the flow of water to the crowded capital.

Below-average rainfall since last year has left about 80 of Mexico's 175 largest reservoirs less than half full, said Felipe Arreguin, a senior official at the Conagua commission, which manages the country's water supply.

!ADVERTISEMENT!

"We have zones where the reservoirs are totally full but others that don't have even a drop of water," he said in an interview late on Tuesday.

More than 1,000 cattle have been lost due to lack of rainfall, and up to 20 million tons of crops managed by 3.5 million small farmers are at risk of being lost, agriculture groups say.

Article continues