BRIDGETOWN, Barbados—St. Maarten is urged to monitor the water resources “in case of short-term drought that can impact agriculture, and small catchments and rivers” by the Barbados-based Caribbean Drought and Precipitation Monitoring Network (CDPMN) in its March bulletin.
While the agency said there is little concern over drought for the majority of the Caribbean until the end of the dry season in May, St. Maarten, Aruba, Curaçao, Bonaire, Cuba, Antigua and Barbuda and the Cayman Islands “should closely monitor their water resources.”
“Water resources should also be monitored in Antigua in case of longer-term drought that can affect both reservoir and ground water resources. There is also greater possibility for even more severe impacts in the ABC islands, particularly related to long term drought,” the bulletin cited.
The CDPMN said that normal to above normal rainfall was experienced across the eastern Caribbean island chain for January, while Trinidad was normal to moderately wet; Tobago and Dominica very to extremely wet and Grenada very wet.
Barbados, St Kitts, St Thomas were moderately wet, while St Lucia, Guadeloupe, Antigua and St Maarten normal; and the French island of Martinique slight to moderately wet.
“Most of Jamaica was moderately wet with the western extreme very to extremely wet, while Grand Cayman was normal. Conditions in Cuba ranged from normal in the west to exceptionally wet in the east. Belize was moderately wet in central areas to normal to the north and south,” the CDPMN noted.
Regarding drought situation, the CDPMN notes that the current situation shows that western parts of Puerto Rico and Southern Haiti are under long-term drought, while short-term drought is seen in northwest Guyana.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/74355-island-urged-to-monitor-water-in-event-of-short-term-drought
