Panama declares national state of emergency due to El Niño

Panama has officially declared a national state of emergency due to the severe impacts of the El Niño phenomenon. The government's decision aims to expedite resource allocation and coordinate immediate responses to address water shortages, droughts, floods, and landslides. Technical assessments from the National Civil Protection System (Sinaproc) and the Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology of Panama (IMHPA) indicate that 11 watersheds are at historically low levels, threatening water purification plants and hydroelectric power generation.

The agricultural sector is facing significant uncertainty. While some rice producers report a 15% to 16% loss in national production, others suggest that current inventories and ongoing plantings may maintain food supplies until mid-2027. The National Association of Ranchers (Anagan) has called for specific financial support and infrastructure, such as water harvesting systems and livestock feeding plans, to mitigate the crisis in provinces like Panama Oeste.

Public health officials have also raised concerns regarding the climate shift. The combination of high temperatures and varying rainfall patterns may increase the risk of dengue fever through the proliferation of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, as well as gastrointestinal diseases caused by contaminated water sources during flooding or limited access to safe water during droughts.