Jamaica being impacted by 'longer', 'hotter' droughts - Samuda

Cabinet Minister, Senator Matthew Samuda, has issued a stark warning that the country could be hit by recurring drought conditions in the coming years as a result of climate change.

Samuda voiced his concerns on Thursday during the opening ceremony of the National Water Commission's (NWC) new commercial office in Falmouth, Trelawny. 

Samuda, who is the Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, with responsibility for water, environment and climate change, said the western end of the island has been affected by prolonged dry spells over the past several months.

He cautioned that Jamaica needs to brace for more frequent droughts going forward. 

"We're being impacted by the changing weather pattern where you're seeing longer, more intense, hotter droughts," said Samuda.

"Last year, at the end of March, when they did the accumulation of the six months leading up to that, which would have been October 2022 to March 2023, it was found that it was the driest cumulative period in Jamaica's history," he stated.

The minister then pointed to the drought situation which affected the eastern of the island last year.

"... In Kingston and St Andrew you had eight per cent of your 30-year average rainfall.... You had streams in the rainforest parish of Portland run dry," said Samuda. 

Continuing, he said: "The parish of eight rivers, in St Ann, had streams run dry. That's the level of impact that we have seen because of the change in our climate." 

He was quick to point out that the drought conditions this year are not as severe as last year.

Meanwhile, Samuda indicated that the Administration has focused its efforts on providing aid to communities in Western Jamaica that are struggling with the effects of the drought, especially through the trucking of the precious commodity. 

Hanover and Westmoreland are among the parishes reeling most severely from the effects of the drought.

Hoteliers in both parishes have also expressed concerns about the drought and water challenges they have been facing in operating their businesses. 

The Government has assured that it will be assisting those interests, as well as residents of the parishes, with water supplies.