2015 Caribbean drought

The water crisis has affected primarily the eastern part of the island. According to the United States Drought Monitor, about 20 percent of the island has been experiencing “extreme” to “exceptionally extreme” drought.{{cite web| url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-puertorico-drought-idUSKCN0QH20X20150812 |author=Jessica Dinapoli |title=Puerto Rico seeks U.S. help as drought impact worsens |publisher=Reuters |date=August 12, 2015 |accessdate=August 13, 2015}} The situation has been aggravated by a lack of maintenance of the infrastructure, whereby more than half of the water supply is lost through distribution.{{efn|Rivera Arguinzoni (2015, in Spanish) "Recurrir a racionamientos en un país donde se potabiliza tanta agua es resultado de la gestión insuficiente de la Autoridad de Acueductos y Alcantarillados (AAA) corporación pública que ha invertido millones de dólares para aumentar su producción, pero hoy día pierde más de la mitad."{{cite news |url=http://www.elnuevodia.com/noticias/locales/nota/aaapierdeloqueinvierte-2082494/ |title=AAA pierde lo que invierte |language=Spanish |newspaper=El Nuevo Día |date=2015-08-05 |accessdate=2015-08-14 |first=Aurora |last=Rivera Arguinzoni }}}}{{efn|Gómez (2013, in Spanish) "La pérdida de agua que experimenta la Autoridad de Acueductos y Alcantarillados (AAA), y que se estima en un 62%, la pagan en sus facturas los consumidores y la seguirán pagando por muchos años, reconoció hoy, martes, el presidente ejecutivo de esa corporación, Alberto Lázaro."{{cite news |url=http://www.primerahora.com/noticias/gobierno-politica/nota/aaaadmitequeclientespaganporelaguaquesepierde-967742/ |title=AAA admite que clientes pagan por el agua que se pierde |language=Spanish |newspaper=Primera Hora |first=Antonio |last=Gómez |date=2013-11-05 |accessdate=2015-08-14 }}}} July, usually one of the wettest months, saw only 4 cm of rain.{{cite web |url=http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/08/10/3689223/as-puerto-rico-runs-out-of-cash-it-is-also-running-out-of-water/| author=Alice Ollstein| title=Water Rationing In Puerto Rico Hits The Poor, Leaves Resorts Untouched| publisher=ThinkProgress |date=August 10, 2015 |accessdate=August 13, 2015}} The Puerto Rico Aqueducts and Sewers Authority (PRASA), responsible for managing water on the island, initiated rationing in May 2015. NBC simultaneously reported that 2.5 million people were affected while a press director from PRASA rather estimated that number to be more near to 400,000.{{cite web |url=http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/puerto-rico-drought-el-nino-tourism-local-water-restrictions/51647356 |author=Heather Janssen |title=Puerto Rico Residents Face Water Rationing That Lasts up to 48 Hours Amid Historic Drought |publisher=Accuweather| date=August 13, 2015 |accessdate=August 13, 2015}} Water supply is being shut off for up to 48 hours when rationed. As the drought affected crops and livestock the U. S. Department of Agriculture started to provide emergency loans to certain municipalities, particularly to those in the Caguas valley who have entirely loss their harvests.

Major tourist areas are exempt from rationing and continue to function normally.{{cite web |url=http://www.kcra.com/money/puerto-ricos-other-crisis-its-running-out-of-water/34522358| author=Patrick Gillespie| title=Puerto Rico's other crisis: It's running out of water |publisher=KCRA |date=August 7, 2015| accessdate=August 13, 2015}}

The water crisis comes at a time when Puerto Rico suffers a financial debt crisis, compromising its response to the drought. In addition, an economic recession has led hundreds of thousand of islanders to leave the island looking for work on the mainland, a phenomenon expected to intensify due to the rationing.{{cite web |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/puerto-rico-restricting-water-shutting-down-taps-drought-deepens-n404786 |author=Marlon Ramtahal| title=Puerto Rico Restricting Water, Shutting Down Taps As Drought Deepens| publisher=NBC|date=August 5, 2015 |accessdate=August 13, 2015}}

The last major water crisis in Puerto Rico was in 1994 when rationing was implemented as well.

• 2012–2013 North American drought

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• [https://web.archive.org/web/20140331015359/http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/Home/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?PR US Drought Monitor]

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Caribbean drought

Puerto Rican drought

Category:Droughts in the United States

Category:Water in Puerto Rico

Category:Natural disasters in Puerto Rico

Caribbean