El Niño Drought Forces Water Rationing for 32 Communities in Costa Rica

Prolonged El Niño-driven drought has depleted water sources, prompting 32 asadas (community water associations) in Guanacaste, Puntarenas, and Alajuela to implement rationing. A school in Moracia de Nicoya reports children with diarrhea and vomiting linked to unsafe water storage, indicating secondary health impacts. The situation underscores growing water stress in Costa Rica's Pacific regions, with potential for broader agricultural and public-health consequences.