According to Brazilian media reports on September 30, affected by the El Niño phenomenon, the Brazilian Amazon and other places are experiencing the worst drought on record.
River levels continue to fall, people are hindered from traveling, and there is a shortage of materials
At present, the water level of local rivers has seriously declined, waterway transportation has been blocked, and people living along the river are experiencing difficulties in providing food, drinking water, and traveling and earning a living. The Amazon Civil Protection Department recently reported that 55 of the total 62 cities in the state of Amazon are under emergency or alert.
It is Lake Alesú near Manaus, the capital of the Amazon state, and the confluence of the Negro and Solimonis, two important tributaries of the Amazon River.
In the past, the area was full of water and busy cargo ships, but now, the continuous heat and drought have caused the river level to drop, the bottom of the lake is widely exposed, many boats are idle along the shore, and the floating "houseboats" on the river are mired.
Bernardo, a resident of Manaus: We are experiencing the worst drought compared to previous years. At the same time last year, water was plentiful, but this year it is very dry. The drought is difficult to cope with, and the river level is declining.
Manaus resident Reis: It's a tough situation, I'm stuck in my houseboat. The houseboat, which was originally floating on the water, has been mired in a mud and cannot move into the water, which is too difficult.
Many Amazon residents rely on water transportation for basic supplies such as food and medicine, while others get water directly from rivers and depend on fishing for their livelihoods. At present, the continuous high temperature and drought have caused the temperature of the rivers to rise, and dead fish have appeared in some rivers, polluting local water sources and affecting the lives of local people.
Caroline, a local vendor: We are currently having a hard time living due to polluted rivers. Water is needed for bathing, and now the river water is no longer available. We used to draw water from the river as part of our daily drinking water, but because the river is polluted, the river water is no longer drinkable, and now we need to bring water from other places to drink.
The Amazon Civil Protection Department predicts that the drought situation in the region may continue for a long time due to the El Niño phenomenon, and it is expected that about 500,000 people will be affected by the end of this year.
To ensure normal life for the local population, the Brazilian government said it would send an air force to transport essential supplies such as food, drinking water and medicine to the Amazon state and neighboring state of Acre. At the same time, it is planned to organize personnel to dredge the river waterways to ensure local water transportation.
Death of 100 Brazilian Amazon puffer fish may be associated with high temperatures and droughts
Recently, about 120 Amazon puffer fish were found dead in the Brazilian Amazon. Although the exact cause of death is not yet known, some scientists believe that it is related to the current high temperature and dry weather in the Amazon region. At least 70 Amazonian puffer fish were found dead in Lake Tefe on 28 September, when the temperature in Lake Tefe exceeded 39 degrees Celsius, 10 degrees Celsius above the average for the same period of the year.
The Amazon puffer fish is the largest living freshwater dolphin, typically reaching a length of 2 to 2.5 meters and weighing between 85 and 185 kilograms.
Source: CCTV News