Drought reaches 61.4% of Puerto Rico

By THE STAR STAFF

The U.S. Drought Monitor showed a deterioration in moisture conditions in Puerto Rico on Thursday; 61.4% of the island is experiencing some level of drought, while another 21.3% remains abnormally dry.

Data valid as of July 7 show that 50.9% of Puerto Rico is in moderate drought (D1) and another 10.5% is in severe drought (D2). The report lists no areas under extreme (D3) or exceptional (D4) drought.

The Drought Monitor -- produced by the National Drought Mitigation Center, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and NASA -- uses five categories to classify drought conditions and serves as a reference for agricultural disaster declarations, loan eligibility and water resource planning.

Drought.gov noted that Puerto Rico faces a recurring risk of drought due to its reliance on rainfall for human consumption and agricultural production. The report highlights that the extreme drought of 2014-2016 necessitated water rationing that affected over a million people and caused agricultural losses exceeding $14 million. It also notes the 2020 drought, which led to new rationing measures and a drought emergency declaration. The publication adds that rising temperatures and projected changes in precipitation patterns could favor longer dry seasons and shorter, more intense rainy periods -- factors that could exacerbate drought conditions on the island.