In Uruguay, the water crisis is worsening.

President Luis Lacalle Pou acknowledged that "if it does not rain" in the short term, there will be a period of time in which the water supply in Montevideo, the capital, "will not be drinkable".

In this context, Mr Lacalle Pou called on the population to reinforce actions to take care of the reserves.

According to some local media, some companies have already stopped production due to the water crisis.

Given the low rainfall, authorities have been forced to pump water from areas closer to the sea, which causes a salty taste in what comes out of the taps.

The Uruguayan president confirmed that "almost a third of those affected will receive free bottled water", and the rest will pay less thanks to tax reductions.