Perilous Times and Climate Change
Severe Drought emergency declared in Brazilian Amazon
2010-10-12 10:06:32
BRASILIA, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- A state of emergency has been declared in
21 municipalities of Brazil's Amazon as a severe drought has affected
some 40,000 families there since early August, local press reported on
Monday.
According to the Amazonas state government, transportation of six tons
of humanitarian food aid to the affected area began this week, but it
has been slow due to low levels of rivers that prevented large vessels
from navigating.
"The boats cannot navigate, and then the transportation can only be
done by canoe. In some places, people were running out of food," said
Anisio Saturnino, representative of one of the municipalities under
emergency rule.
Besides the lack of food, many people are suffering intestinal problems
caused by poor water quality.
Ane Alencar, geographer and researcher with the Amazon Institute for
Environmental Research (IPAM), said the drought affecting the Amazon is
an extreme weather event resulting from El Nino, which occurred in late
2009 with its fallout being felt this year.
She said the drought in the state of Amazonas has been more frequent
and more intense than before, so there is no enough time for the
forests to recover.