Chile’s 13-year drought turns lake into desert

Chile is facing a 13-year drought, and 2021 was the fourth driest year on record. By the end of the year, over half of Chile’s population of 19 million lived in areas suffering from “severe water scarcity.”

Twenty years ago, the Penuelas reservoir was the main source of water for the city of Valparaiso in central Chile, holding enough water to fill 38,000 Olympic size swimming pools. Today, it only holds enough for 2 pools.

According to Pablo Garcia-Chevesich, a Chilean hydrologist working at the University of Arizona, water is a national security issue in Chile. “It’s the biggest problem facing the country economically, socially and environmentally. If we don’t solve this, the water will be the cause of the next uprising.”

Watch the video to learn more.