# El Salvador drought and food insecurity > Developing situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/el-salvador-drought-and-food-insecurity > Updated: 2026-10-26T14:20:00.000Z. Sources: 17. Developments: 2. El Salvador declared a six-month national state of emergency to address severe meteorological and agricultural drought caused by the Super El Niño phenomenon. The Legislative Assembly approved the measure to allow for the reallocation of public funds and the coordination of international humanitarian aid to protect food security. The United States committed $55 million in aid, with $25 million directed through the United Nations for immediate relief and $30 million for long-term preventative support. Following the emergency declaration, food prices in El Salvador reached record highs. In September 2026, the cost of the urban basic food basket rose to $269.15, driven by significant price increases in vegetables, eggs, and fruits. These rising costs have heightened the risk of food and nutritional insecurity in the region. Specific environmental conditions have exacerbated the crisis, including rainfall deficits of 41% in May and periods of up to 19 consecutive days without rain in August. Extreme heat has also been recorded, with temperatures reaching 43.9 ºC in Santa Rosa de Lima. To manage the response, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock is tasked with overseeing food security and storage, while the Ministry of National Defense and the National Civil Police support humanitarian logistics and community assistance. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-26: El Salvador declares national emergency due to drought El Salvador has declared a six-month national emergency to combat a severe drought threatening food security, agriculture, and livestock caused by extreme heat and rainfall deficits. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/el-salvador-declares-national-emergency-due-to-drought ### 2026-10-07: El Salvador declares national emergency amid Super El Niño drought El Salvador has declared a six-month national emergency due to Super El Niño-induced drought. The U.S. is providing $55 million in aid to support food security and humanitarian relief efforts. 12 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/el-salvador-declares-national-emergency-due-to-super-el-nio-drought --- Cite as: El Salvador drought and food insecurity. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/el-salvador-drought-and-food-insecurity