New Delhi, July 17 -- Puerto Rico announced water rationing measures on Thursday as a drought grips the U.S. territory, worsening chronic water shortages that have forced the governor to declare a state of emergency.

Thousands of people in the island's northeast region face 48-hour rationing periods from Friday, said Luis Gonzalez, executive president of the island's water and sewer authority.

The rationing program will affect several communities in the cities of Canovanas and Rio Grande as temperatures keep rising.

"There's just not enough water," he said, adding that rationing will likely be extended to other areas.

Gonzalez blamed a lack of rain, although severe water shortages began affecting some of the island's most populated ar...