Drought affects south-western Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico, in the north-eastern Caribbean, is facing a severe drought. According to the US National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), extreme drought conditions were affecting 37% of the island on 15 September 2026.
One of the most affected areas lies in the south-western corner of Puerto Rico and includes the Lajas Valley, one of the island's main agricultural areas, visible in these Copernicus Sentinel-2 images. The image on the top, acquired on 3 September 2025, shows green fields and vegetation across the valley and the surrounding hills. In contrast, the bottom image, acquired on 20 September 2026, shows the same area in brown tones.
Copernicus Sentinel-2 imagery supports the monitoring of vegetation conditions and cropland, providing information relevant to water resource management and drought response.
