'The grass doesn't grow': In Chile's far south, the worst drought in 50 years

In  Chile’s remote south, the country’s gateway to the Antarctic, the worst  drought  in half a century is hitting cattle and vegetable farmers, leaving the earth so dry in areas that grass cannot grow for grazing. The Andean copper-producing nation, currently battling deadly fires in the south-central region, is locked in an over a decade-long period of  drought  that experts say is the longest stretch of arid weather it has faced in a thousand years. In the far south city of Punta Arenas that has led to a water emergency declared last year. “In 2022 Punta Arenas had its driest year in 52 years,” said the Nicolas Butorovic, a climatologist from the regional University of Magallanes. The Magallanes region, an area of fjords and large expanses of ice that houses the iconic Torres del Paine national park, usually creaks under cold temperatures and strong winds, which have exacerbated the dry conditions. “The wind picks up and dries everything and the grass does not grow, that is the drama we’re facing,” said Hector Garay, a livestock farmer in the region. Cristian Vivar, owner of a local dairy, said the region was facing a “very difficult winter” ahead due to the lack of water to grow animal feed. Flower producer Bernardita Contreras said her first batch of a rhubarb crop had survived but there’s was no chance for the second one. Read all the Latest News, Trending News,  Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.