|
The Andean copper producing nation, currently battling deadly
fires in the south-central region, is locked in a more than
decade-long period of drought that has created a challenge to
mining, agriculuture and bees.
In the far south city of Punta Arenas, that has led to a water
emergency declared last year.
"In 2022 Punta Arenas had its driest year in 52 years," said
Nicolas Butorovic, a climatologist from the regional University
of Magallanes.
The Magallanes region, an area of fjords and large expanses of
ice that is home to the iconic Torres del Paine national park,
usually creaks under cold temperatures and strong winds that
have exacerbated the dry conditions.
"The wind picks up and dries everything and the grass does not
grow, that is the drama we're facing," said Hector Garay, a
livestock farmer in the region.
Cristian Vivar, owner of a local dairy, said the region was
facing a "very difficult winter" ahead due to the lack of water
to grow animal feed.
"If there is no irrigation water, water from rain, the grass
does not grow. We are talking about what is going to be missing,
food for our cattle," he said.
Bernardita Contreras said her first batch of a rhubarb crop had
survived but there was no chance for the second one.
"There is no longer any hope of recovering it because there's no
water, we don't have any to irrigate," she said.
In the popular region for travel, Rodrigo Bustamante, president
of the hotels and tourism services association, said the whole
area was dry.
"This year is much hotter than others, with much more wind,
which is also an ingredient that dries the countryside much more
and dries the entire territory," he said.
(Reporting by Reuters TV; Writing by Fabian Cambero; Editing by
Adam Jourdan and Bill Berkrot)
[© 2023 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2022 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
|
|
