The Mexican government has extended the disaster zone declared in the northwest of the country due to what's been called the worst drought in living memory.

The more central states of San Luis Potosi and Zacatecas have been added to the five states already in the zone Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Sinaloa, and Sonora.

The announcement was made by the Interior Minister, Diodoro Carrasco Altamirano, in response to requests from the governors of the affected areas.

It means the affected states will benefit from federal contingency funds.