Mexico launches plan to fight historic drought

Jan 24, 2012, 15:33 GMT

Mexico City - Mexican President Felipe Calderon has launched an emergency plan to fight the worst drought in the country in 70 years, with measures to back up the supply of drinking water and support farmers, among others.

'Not one family is going to suffer from lack of water or lack of food,' Calderon said late Monday in the central state of Zacatecas.

Jose Luis Luege Tamargo, director of Mexico's National Water Commission (Conagua), said that such a drought had been unheard of since reliable records started to be kept in Mexico in 1941. It is currently affecting 19 of the country's 32 states, five of them critically.

According to Conagua, 2011 saw some 10 per cent less rainfall than average.

Luege said climate change has led Mexico to swing between extremes: 2010 was the second-rainiest year since 1958, while 2011 brought historic drought.

Calderon admitted that the situation is 'critical' and said about 2.5 billion dollars are available to fight the drought.

The problem started in May, the beginning of a rainy season that usually lasts till November. The rest of the year is Mexico's dry season, so the coming months are expected to be tough ahead of the next rainy spell.

Calderon said that water would be distributed in trucks and that the construction of wells for domestic use would be encouraged. The authorities are also to embark in works to improve infrastructure to collect rain water.