El Niño extending drought in northern Mexico

(This story was originally published on Wednesday, October 7, 2015)

The El Niño phenomenon, which this year is expected to be one of the strongest in the last half century, is causing drought in various regions in the north of Mexico, as well as greater frequency of cyclones in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, national water authority Conagua said in a release.

A total of 410 Mexican municipalities are currently seriously affected by drought, up from 311 in August, according to a Conagua report.

Municipalities are affected in 30 of Mexico's 31 states, with Baja California and Tabasco the worst hit, while Yucatán state and the southern states of Chiapas and Guerrero are also suffering serious shortages.

Last month the drought was recorded as affecting 100% of the municipalities in Baja California state and Tabasco state, according to the water authority.

Some 58.5% of the 62 municipalities in Yucatán state are also significantly affected, while 44.1% and 38.3% of Chiapas and Guerrero states, respectively, are considered to be dry.

About 26.9% of Veracruz state is short of water and 21.1% of Oaxaca state, the water authority said.

The authorities are carrying out various actions to counter the drought, in addition to works to improve water availability and supply for the population affected by shortages in Baja California, Yucatán, Chiapas, Guerrero, Tabasco and Veracruz states, Conagua said.