Tolima faces extreme drought and increased seismic activity

The department of Tolima, Colombia, is facing a dual environmental crisis involving extreme drought and significant seismic activity. Rainfall levels between September 1 and 20 reached only 23% of the historical average, with some municipalities like Espinal and Flandes recording just 3% of expected precipitation. This deficit has led to reduced water levels in 11 of 15 monitored streams, including a 36% reduction in the Gualí River and significant declines in the Magdalena River system. Temperatures in the region are also up to 4.2 °C above historical records.

Simultaneously, the municipality of Chaparral has experienced a surge in seismic activity, including more than 130 tremors on a single day and a recent 4.5 magnitude earthquake. The Colombian Geological Service (SGC) attributes these movements to the region's complex network of active geological faults, such as the Ibagué, Mulatos, Cambao, and Honda faults. While the SGC is monitoring the situation, they noted that the current sequence of tremors does not necessarily indicate a larger upcoming earthquake, though the tectonic behavior remains under observation.