Prolonged drought has been affecting the Rio Grande basin for several years. A Satellite loop released on September 15, 2026, showed the declining water levels in the Elephant Butte Reservoir and the smaller Caballo Reservoir to its south over the last 15 years. NASA had earlier reported that the reservoir stood at 1.4% of capacity on July 27, its lowest level since 1971.
El Salvador declared a nationwide Red Alert for meteorological and agricultural drought on August 25, while Honduras expanded its drought Red Alert from 75 to 103 municipalities on August 26. Panama also declared a national state of emergency under Resolution No. 102-26 in response to El Niño-related risks, including drought, flooding and landslides. The measures come amid rainfall deficits, prolonged dry periods and increasing water stress as El Niño continues to strengthen.
Uganda launched emergency food relief operations on July 9, 2026, after the government reported 16 deaths from causes associated with food shortages in the drought-hit Karamoja sub-region, where prolonged dry conditions have caused widespread crop failures and prompted additional emergency assistance for the worst-affected districts.
North Korea reported a severe drought affecting early-season crops across the country on April 30, 2026, prompting nationwide irrigation efforts to protect wheat and barley production. The dry conditions coincide with existing food shortages, raising concerns over agricultural output during a critical growing period.
Florida has entered its worst drought in 25 years, with 100.00% of the state classified in drought categories D0–D4, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Severe to extreme drought now covers 85.46% of the state, marking the most extensive spatial coverage since the 2000–2001 drought event.
Severe drought conditions are affecting over 2 million people across Kenya as of February 2026, following the failure of the short rain season between October and December 2025, which was the driest since 1981. Rainfall across most arid and semi-arid counties reached only 30%–60% of the long-term average, significantly worsening food and water insecurity.
The PGA Tour has canceled the 2026 Sentry Tournament of Champions, originally scheduled for January 8–11 at the Plantation Course in Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii, due to severe drought and irrigation restrictions. The event, which has opened the PGA season at Kapalua since 1999, will not be contested at the course for the first time since…
French National Federation of Farmers’ Unions (FNSEA) is warning the country will most likely have a shortage of milk in the coming months as a result of the severe drought affecting the country.
Puerto Rico's governor has declared a state of emergency on Monday, June 30, 2020, due to worsening drought– prompting the government to resort to water rationing that will leave 140 000 without access to running water. Drought conditions have rapidly expanded…
More than 58 000 ha (143 000 acres) of rice have been damaged in Mekong Delta due to the region's worst drought in history, according to Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD). The MARD, in cooperation with the People's Committee…
