MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina: Water emergency extended, insufficient rainfall in main rivers' basins

Lack of sufficient water in the Parana, Paraguay and Iguazu rivers is limiting shipping and energy generation

Argentina has announced that it will extend the Water Emergency Crisis warning for another six months due to insufficient rainfall in the Paraná, Paraguay, and Iguazú river basins.

The provinces of Formosa, Chaco, Corrientes, Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, Misiones and Buenos Aires are going to be affected.

The Water Emergency State was established by Decree No. 482 on July 24, 2021, and extended by Decree No. 118 on March 10, 2022, for 180 calendar days.

The current river condition creates problems in the supply of drinking water, navigation and port operations; hydroelectric power generation; fuel supply, and economic activities linked to the use of the water basin.

In view of this scenario, Argentine officials stated that “according to the analyses of the Water Emergency Management Working Group that monitors the water level in the Paraná, Paraguay, and Iguazú River Basins, the adverse conditions are expected to continue with the persistent drought and another weather anomalies.

In this context, the government of Argentina deemed it “convenient and necessary to extend the Water Emergency Crisis” to guarantee civil protection in the affected areas and guarantee adequate responses by the State and its different ministries, organizations, and authorities”