El Niño Worsens Situation in Central America, Panama Restricts Canal Traffic

Panama has declared a state of emergency due to the extreme weather accompanying the El Niño phenomenon. While some regions have faced heavy rainfall, others are suffering from severe drought.

Interior Minister Dinoshka Montalvo said the decision is intended to prepare the country for the potential consequences of the phenomenon. The measure will allow administrative procedures to be expedited and interventions to manage the situation to be carried out more quickly.

The lack of rainfall has also affected the Panama Canal, one of the world’s main commercial shipping routes. Authorities have decided to reduce the number of ships allowed to pass through from 36 to 34 per day starting September 3, while the limit will be lowered to 32 ships from September 15.

The canal, which stretches for around 80 kilometers, handles approximately 5% of global maritime trade. The United States and China rank among the most significant users of this corridor.

A similar situation has also been reported in El Salvador, where a nationwide red alert has been issued due to drought linked to El Niño. Institutions have warned of water shortages and major consequences for the agricultural sector.

Falling water levels have damaged crops. Farmers’ representatives estimate that the first grain harvest could be reduced by around 20%. At the same time, the government has announced that the families of affected farmers will receive food aid.

El Salvador’s action plan calls for monitoring water resources and agricultural crops, identifying the hardest-hit communities, and increasing epidemiological surveillance.

The drought has also caused damage in Honduras. Losses of corn and bean crops have been reported in the southern and western parts of the country, while the government based in Tegucigalpa has placed nearly 80% of the country on alert.

The United Nations World Food Programme has warned that Central America may be the region most affected by food insecurity as a result of El Niño.

El Niño typically occurs once every two to seven years and is linked to the warming of surface waters in the Pacific Ocean. The phenomenon can significantly alter temperatures, rainfall, and weather patterns worldwide. According to experts, the current episode could be among the most powerful recorded in more than a century.