Extreme Drought Forces Ecuador to Cut Power in Half the Country

Ecuador, facing its worst drought in 60 years, has announced power rationing in half its provinces to conserve dwindling resources.

This decision comes after 71 days without rain, severely impacting the nation’s water resources and energy production.

The power cuts will affect twelve provinces, spanning from north to south. Residents in these areas will experience outages from 8 AM to 5 PM local time on Sunday.

This measure aims to conserve the dwindling water resources in the country’s hydroelectric reservoirs.

The National Emergency Operations Committee made this difficult decision after an urgent meeting in Cuenca.

They carefully evaluated the situation in each province before implementing the focused power cuts.

The government promises to reassess the situation at midday on Sunday and announce any necessary additional measures.

Ecuador’s government has not been idle in the face of this crisis. They have initiated cloud seeding operations and installed power-generating barges to mitigate the situation.

However, the drought’s effects have been compounded by over 1,330 forest fires in the past month.

This is not the first time Ecuador has faced energy rationing this month. The country experienced eight-hour nightly blackouts on September 18th and 19th.

The government also implemented two days of remote work for public sector employees last week.

The drought’s impact extends beyond power generation. Some cities are experiencing cuts in potable water supply.

The National Risk Management Secretariat has declared a “red alert” in 19 provinces due to the drought’s wide-ranging effects.

As Ecuador faces this crisis, the government continues to seek solutions. The coming days will be crucial in determining the extent of further measures needed to address this unprecedented situation.

More: Ecuador news in English, every day from The Rio Times.

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