The drought that has plagued Uruguay for months is generating irreparable losses, as warned by President Luis Lacalle Pou at a press conference, who finally accepted that the drought had a worrying impact on the national economy. TO despite the fact that measures have been adopted by the State and the municipalitiesthe situation continues to be critical and has affected various sectors, including power generation and production in Uruguayan homes.
Uncertainty regarding when the drought will end is growing, although researcher Marcelo Barreiro from the Department of Atmospheric Sciences at UDELAR pointed out that changes are expected from March. According to Barreiro, the drought is the result of various factors that influence Uruguay’s climate, La Niña being the main factor. For three consecutive springs, this phenomenon has generated a rainfall deficit in the country.
The causes and effects of the drought in Uruguay
In addition to La Niña, the Southern Annular Mode also plays an important role in the region’s rainfall, and has contributed to the intensification of the drought in Uruguay. In the last 12 months, the absence of rain has especially affected the southwest of the country, although in the last three months it has been concentrated in the center. Despite the fact that there have been increases in the accumulated annual rainfall in the last 60 years due to climate change, this has not been enough to face the current drought.
The drought has caused significant economic losses in the country, affecting not only rural producers, but also the population in general. The situation is increasingly worrisome and it is necessary to closely monitor its evolution, waiting for changes in the climate that alleviate the drought in Uruguay. Meanwhile, losses continue to mount and uncertainty continues to mount.
