Brazil’s Amazon rainforest is facing a severe drought that could affect up to 500,000 people by the end of the year, the governor of Amazonas state said Tuesday.
Wilson Lima was in Brazil’s capital, Brasilia, to meet with representatives of the federal government, including the president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, to discuss the drought.
On Sunday, Lima had confirmed the meeting on the social network
Fifteen municipalities of Amazonas are in a state of emergency, while another 40 are on alert, reported the state civil defense authority.
Many residents are already struggling to access essential goods, such as food and water, because the main means of transportation in the region are waterways and river levels are at historically low levels.
The drought also affects fishing, the means of subsistence of many riverside communities.
According to the port of the capital, Manaus, the water level of the Amazon River was 16.7 meters on Tuesday, about six meters lower than the same day last year.
The lowest water level was recorded on October 24, 2010, when it dropped to 13.6 meters.
The state of Amazonas declared an environmental emergency two weeks ago in response to the prolonged drought and launched a plan valued at 20 million dollars (18.9 million euros).
The state’s civil protection agency also promised to distribute food and water, as well as personal hygiene kits.
The drought is expected to last longer and be more intense due to the El Niño climate phenomenon, which inhibits the formation of rain clouds, the civil protection authority highlighted.
Climate change worsens droughts, making them more frequent, longer and more severe. Higher temperatures increase evaporation, which reduces surface water and dries out soil and vegetation.
Source: TSF
