Caracas suffers worst drought since 1947

Caracas, Nov 4 : The Venezuelan capital is suffering its worst drought since 1947 as is much of the country, forcing the authorities to introduce water rationing.

Environmentalist Erik Quiroga told EFE Tuesday that until Oct 22 only 508.8 ml of rain had fallen in Caracas, the lowest amount since 1947.

Quiroga said that the figures were provided by the Cagigal Naval Observatory, the nation's chief meteorological centre that began keeping records in 1891.

The severity of the drought became more obvious, according to Quiroga, during the months of October, which had the least rain in 118 years, and June, the driest in 115 years.

Venezuela has seasonal precipitation with a rainy season from May to October and a dry season from October to May, though the pattern can be modified by environmental factors such as El Nino, a climatic phenomenon that brings radical changes in the amount of rainfall.

--IANS