The Amazonian states are not entirely connected by roads and depend on waterways for navigation. The low water levels have disrupted the water transportation
RH Staff
October 21
Thousands of families in the Brazilian Amazon are facing a severe drought as the rains have eluded he rainforest for last two months. The drought has been declared as worst in several decades in some parts of Amazon.
The severe drought has come barely months after the region witnessed a devastating floods that destroyed crops and submerged many smaller communities. The heavy floods were caused by the heavier-than-expected rains.
But just few months, the Amazon is facing dried up rivers, waterways and other water bodies. The experts say that the main cause for the drought this time is low rainfall in the region in past two months -August and September – that has led to low water levels in the Amazon river.
The low water levels also mean shortage of food, fuel, medicine and other essential items in the region. The Amazonian states are not entirely connected by roads and depend on waterways for navigation. The low water levels have disrupted the water transportation.
Official said that because of the low water levels, large ships couldn’t reach the Tefe city, on banks of Amazon river, inhabited by over 60000 people.
The officials said that the situation is worse for smaller communities surrounding Tefe as the waterways that connect them to Amazon river have dried up leaving them inaccessible.
This is the time for relatively drier season – known as Amazonian Summer – in Amazon rainforest. The Amazonian summer lasts from June to December.
