US Declares Drought Disaster in US Virgin Islands
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- U.S. government declared a federal drought disaster for the U.S. Virgin Islands on Thursday, with St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix all under extreme drought per the U.S. Drought Monitor and no relief in sight.
- The declaration unlocks federal emergency loans for farmers and agricultural producers in the territory.
- Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. called farmers "essential to our food security, our economy and our way of life," and said the declaration gives them "another tool to withstand" the drought's effects without making it disappear.
- Bryan had requested the federal disaster declaration earlier this month.
- Neighboring Puerto Rico has also been hit hard, with officials recently implementing water rationing in seven cities, including the capital San Juan.
- Over 33% of Puerto Rico is under extreme drought and another 30% under severe drought, per the source.
- Experts attribute the rainfall shortfall to a particularly strong natural El Niño warming cycle, which is also expected to drive a below-average Atlantic hurricane season.
Why it matters: Farmers across St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix now have access to federal emergency loans to weather the drought. The declaration also underscores the drought's regional reach — more than 63% of Puerto Rico is under extreme or severe drought, and seven Puerto Rican cities, including San Juan, have already begun water rationing.
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