According to CCTV, Colombia declared on July 23 a one-year national disaster state to address potential severe impacts from the El Niño phenomenon, focusing on risks to water supply, energy, public health, and food security sectors.
The Colombian government forecasts El Niño will intensify in the second half of 2026 and may persist through the first quarter of 2027. In worst-case scenarios, the country could face widespread blackouts, water shortages, wildfires, and heat waves that threaten public welfare and critical infrastructure.