Colombia declares natural disaster as El Niño threatens severe drought and energy crisis

The Colombian government has declared a national disaster due to the imminent arrival of a "very strong" El Niño phenomenon, which is expected to cause severe drought, water shortages, and energy risks between December 2026 and March 2027. President Gustavo Petro ordered the transfer of $4 trillion pesos (about $970 million) to the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD), bringing total funds to $8 trillion to mitigate impacts on hydropower generation and water supply. Source: lasillavacia

What happened

During an extraordinary session of the National Council for Disaster Risk Management on July 21, 2026, officials unanimously recommended declaring a national disaster based on scientific forecasts. The director of UNGRD, Javier Pava, stated that the declaration is justified by "the imminence itself of an action that requires immediate attention" under Law 1523 of 2012. Source: elcolombiano The IDEAM subdirector warned the event could be "one of the strongest episodes since the mid-20th century." Source: larepublicaco

The response

Petro instructed that the $4 trillion originally earmarked for the Colombia Solar program be redirected to UNGRD to total $8 trillion for energy-related emergency measures. Source: portafolioco Key actions include:

• Accelerating installation of solar panels, prioritizing regions with most sunlight. Source: infobae
• Expediting gas imports, though Petro emphasized "it is not with gas, it is with more solar panels." Source: infobae
• Deploying water trucks, desalination plants, and storage tanks for municipalities facing water shortages. Source: larepublicaco
• Offering subsidies and credit lines for farmers, plus $1 trillion for fertilizer purchases. Source: larepublicaco

Petro also warned against corruption, saying "Ojo con la corrupción" in reference to past scandals at UNGRD. Source: portafolioco

What's next

The declaration allows expedited contracting and resource mobilization. The incoming administration of President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella will oversee implementation. Source: infobae Experts caution that if hydropower generation drops significantly, Colombia may face an energy deficit, as only 14.9% of planned generation capacity has come online. Source: portafolioco