Dry Up: Jamaica Faces Worst Drought in 2026

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Yuh tink di sun hot now? Wait till yuh see what a gwaan. Di National Water Commission (NWC) a warn seh Jamaica a head straight into one a di worst droughts we ever see, an 2026 a look like it a go be a real parched year from hell.

From March, di water level at Hermitage Dam in St Andrew drop down to only 38% capacity — dat more dan 20% lower dan di same time last year. An it nuh look pretty fi di rest a di island neither. Di Rio Cobre in St Catherine a run low, an di Great River in Westmoreland barely a trickle in some parts.

NWC spokesman Mark Johnson tell HowJamaica seh di situation serious. "We a ask all Jamaicans fi please conserve water. Nuh waste a drop. We already start truck water to several communities in St Elizabeth, Clarendon, an some parts a Kingston," him seh.

But di drought nuh just affect people in dem house. Farmers dem feel di pinch too. In St Elizabeth, di breadbasket a di island, onion an scallion farmers say dem a lose crop left an right because irrigation pond dry up fast.

Miss Patricia Brown, a farmer in Bull Savannah, St Elizabeth, tell HowJamaica: "Mi plant two acre a onion, but di sun hot like fire an di water gone. If rain nuh fall inna next two week, mi lose everything. Mi nuh know how mi a go feed mi pickney dem."

An it nuh just agriculture. Tourism operators in Negril an Montego Bay a cut back on water use. Some hotel dem already a ask guest fi reuse towel an limit shower time. One hotel manager in Negril say dem now a truck in water from a private supplier twice a week just fi keep di pool full.

According to di Meteorological Service, dis drought link to a strong La Niña pattern dat a push di rainfall away from di Caribbean. Dem say di dry spell could last till June, or even later if di pattern nuh break.

So wha yuh can do? Here some practical advice: Fix any leaking pipe or tap in yuh yard. Collect rainwater if yuh have a tank. Use a bucket fi wash yuh car instead a hose. An store water in clean container fi emergency. Every drop count, mi bredren.

We a go keep yuh update as di situation develop. But fi now, stay cool, stay smart, an please, nuh waste water.

Need help? Email us at admin@howjamaica.com.