Mexico Declares Emergency Amid Heatwave

Mexico's National Water Commission, known as Conagua, has declared a state of emergency and heightened alert as a severe heatwave, named Canicula, approaches.

This is anticipated to be the largest heatwave in the country's history, occurring at a time when Mexico typically experiences hurricane season, according to the Mexican newspaper La Expancion.

The National Center for Disaster Prevention (CENAPRED) defines this phenomenon as a period of elevated temperatures due to excessive heating of the air, clear skies, and reduced rainfall, typically occurring in the middle of the year.

The term Canicula comes from the constellation Canis Major, known to the Romans, who believed that the sun's heat intensified the brightness of the brightest star, particularly in summer, leading to higher temperatures.

This phenomenon leads to reduced rainfall due to winds blowing from the east, preventing the formation of clouds over the ocean.

Consequently, some areas of the country experience drought during this period and a rise in temperatures.

Mexico is facing an unprecedented drought that has led to a shortage of some agricultural crops, such as coffee.

The Independent Coffee Producers Union warned this week of the risks to 80% to 90% of crops on the southern border of Mexico due to continuous drought since January, necessitating urgent government support.

The Independent Coffee Producers Union stated that normally 6 million bags of coffee are produced, but in the current production cycle, it is expected to decrease to only 5 million bags.

Ismael Gomez, a representative of the union, noted that coffee plants are showing signs of damage from the drought.

According to recent statistics, there are 170,000 hectares in the southern border region of Mexico with a similar number of farmers who could be affected by the drought.