10
Loading video...
By Amanda Greenwood
Associate News Editor
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Governments across the Americas have declared emergencies or activated their highest-level alerts as the 2026-2027 El Niño threatens communities with drought, flooding, extreme rainfall, and water shortages.
Bolivia became one of the latest countries to act, declaring a national emergency on October 31 because of drought and the imminent threat of other extreme weather conditions associated with El Niño.
It follows emergency measures implemented elsewhere in Central and South America, including Panama, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and El Salvador. States and provinces in the United States, Brazil and Argentina have also introduced emergency response actions.
Read More on News
Some have issued formal states of emergency, while others have declared national disaster situations, or issued red alerts.
Bolivia
Bolivia declared a national emergency on Oct. 31 through Supreme Decree No. 5759 because of the existing drought and the imminent threat of adverse events associated with the 2026-2027 El Niño.
According to local press, the emergency was declared in response to drought in the Altiplano, Valleys and Chaco and the threat of further extreme weather, such as frost, hail, forest fires, flooding and overflowing rivers, all linked to El Niño.
The measure allows central government institutions, as well as departmental and municipal governments, to activate their emergency coordination and intervention procedures. In the Decree, the government said the aim was to “protect the health and livelihoods of the Bolivian population in the face of drought and the imminent risk of adverse events associated with the 2026-2027 El Niño phenomenon.”
While the decree doesn’t require people to evacuate or take any specific action, residents should follow official advice if conditions change.
Panama
Panama declared a national state of emergency on August 26 because of the potentially dangerous weather effects of El Niño. The declaration, made through Cabinet Resolution No. 102-26, remains in effect until June 30, 2027.
Officials said at least 15,643 people had been affected by flooding since the beginning of 2026, with more than 70 percent of those affected in Bocas del Toro and Colón. At the same time, forecasts pointed to “rainfall deficits during the months of October, November and December 2026, as well as in January, February and March 2027” that could produce drought, lower reservoir levels and problems for agriculture and hydroelectric generation.
Authorities also warned that drought and low water levels could impact ship traffic and operations at the Panama Canal.
Panama’s National Civil Protection System (SINAPROC) has urged residents to use drinking water responsibly, repair leaks, keep basic reserves of water and nonperishable food, avoid burning waste or vegetation, and remain hydrated.
Colombia
Colombia declared a national disaster situation for an initial period of 12 months under Decree 0802 as of July 23 in anticipation of the effects of El Niño.
...
The government said that reduced rainfall could threaten drinking-water supplies, hydroelectric power, and key public services, while increasing the risks of wildfires and deteriorating air and soil quality. When the announcement was made in July, 558 municipalities were considered at “high or very high risk of drinking water shortages,” with 111 facing the “most critical conditions.”
President Gustavo Petro warned that the country “will have a megadrought affecting a large part of the national territory between December 2026 and March 2027. It is very likely that a drought of this magnitude has never been observed in the history of Colombia.”
Officials have also stressed that El Niño doesn’t mean rainfall will disappear altogether, so communities must remain prepared for both drought and emergencies caused by seasonal rainfall.
Peru
Peru declared a 60-day state of emergency across 796 districts on July 2 because of the “imminent danger” posed by intense rainfall associated with the 2026-2027 El Niño.
The declaration included districts across Amazonas, Áncash, Apurímac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Huancavelica, Huánuco, Ica, Junín, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua, Pasco, Piura, San Martín, Tacna, Tumbes and Ucayali, as well as the Constitutional Province of Callao.
Ecuador
Ecuador has declared a red alert across the entire country over El Niño rather than a formal national state of emergency.
The declaration activates “provincial and cantonal Emergency Operations Committees (COEs) to coordinate preparedness and response actions.” These include preparations for preventive evacuations, mobilizing resources, and protecting people in areas considered at risk.
The national government had already approved its 2026-2027 El Niño action plan in July, making its implementation a national priority and calling for regular assessments of the evolving weather phenomenon.
El Salvador
...
El Salvador declared a red alert for “meteorological and agricultural drought” on August 25 as authorities warned El Niño was expected to strengthen.
The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources said forecasts indicated rainfall would be “predominantly below normal,” with some of the highest probabilities of below-normal rainfall in the central and eastern parts of the country.
Brazil
While Brazil as a whole hasn’t declared a nationwide federal emergency over El Niño, the State of Amazonas has declared a preventive State of Climate and Environmental Emergency, which was issued in June.
Decree No. 54,274 said the declaration was made because of meteorological projections associated with El Niño and established “precautionary” civil-defense and protection measures.
California
California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a statewide state of emergency on September 21 in preparation for the 2026-2027 El Niño.
The declaration is largely preventative, allowing the state to move more quickly to protect vulnerable communities, prepare roads and critical infrastructure, and position supplies and equipment ahead of severe weather. Officials have highlighted the risks of flooding, landslides, debris flows, and coastal flooding and erosion.
A subsequent executive order issued on Oct. 27 expanded steps designed to accelerate flood-control and other mitigation work. The statewide El Niño declaration remains listed as an open state of emergency by the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services.
Argentina
The Argentine province of Neuquén declared a meteorological emergency across the province for six months on Oct. 27 because of El Niño-Southern Oscillation and the risks it poses.
Provincial authorities cited increased precipitation, full waterways, saturated soils, and the risk of flooding. Officials said some areas had already experienced significant rainfall and rising watercourses.
Newsweek has contacted the NOAA Climate Prediction Center and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) for comment to help explain why El Niño is prompting emergency declarations across different parts of the Americas.
Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here.
Contact Newsweek editor on this story: Edward Pearcey.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines