Colombia drought response to El Niño

In mid‑July 2026 the municipality of Ambalema in Tolima began sector‑based water rationing as river flows fell, temperatures rose and illegal connections strained an aging aqueduct. The mayor ordered daily service suspensions across several neighborhoods and deployed water tankers, hoping to restore normal supply within a week while acknowledging a high likelihood of the El Niño phenomenon.

A ten‑day later, authorities in the Nariño department moved from water‑use restrictions to direct humanitarian assistance. Around 2,500 families in the El Tablón Panamericano area of Taminango received food parcels and basic supplies through the regional Nariño 360 strategy, coordinated by government, police, army and tax officials. The aid distribution also included crime‑prevention outreach, aiming to bolster state presence and alleviate the livelihood crisis caused by severe water scarcity and crop losses linked to the same El Niño‑driven drought.

On 27 July, the Autonomous Regional Corporation of Magdalena (CORPAMAG) in Colombia organised environmental‑prevention workshops in Nueva Granada and San Sebastián de Buenavista. The sessions addressed forest‑fire risk, wildlife protection and efficient water‑use, extending the drought response to fire‑season preparedness as the El Niño‑driven dry season persisted.