Singapore’s Drought Driest Since 1869

February was Singapore’s driest month since 1869, according to Singapore’s National Environment Agency.

During the month, there were only seven days of short showers, with some areas receiving as little as 0.2mm of rain.

Drought has hit the wider region in recent weeks, threatening to raise food prices and slow economic activity.

Officials in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s capital, started rationing water in February and forest fires have broken out in Indonesia’s Riau province.

While Singapore relies on Malaysia for about 60% of its water imports, experts say that the country’s recent efforts in desalination and recycled water technology have made it much less reliant on neighbouring countries.

Singapore’s Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Vivian Balakrishnan, has said that new technologies could provide about 55% of the country’s demand for water regardless of rainfall.

Nonetheless, Singapore’s public water agency has started a campaign to urge residents to conserve water, as the dry weather is expected to persist into March.

via BBC

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