The Amazon rainforest, which holds one-fifth of the world’s fresh water, is experiencing a severe drought that shows no signs of easing, according to a report from The New York Times.
Likely exacerbated by global warming and deforestation, the drought is fueling large wildfires while simultaneously causing major rivers to dry up at a record pace.
The Rio Negro, the largest dark water river in the world, reached its lowest level on Monday (16), while other rivers are close to hitting new records. The consequences are already being felt: deaths of endangered pink dolphins, the shutdown of a major hydroelectric plant, and the isolation of tens of thousands of people living in remote communities who can only travel by boat.
The drought is accelerating the destruction of the largest and most biodiverse rainforest in the world. Recent studies show that climate change, deforestation, and wildfires are hindering the recovery of the Amazon.
The rainy season is expected to begin in the coming weeks, and if the drought, which started in June, persists, it will mark the first time such extreme conditions occur during the driest period of the Amazon and continue into the wettest period.
The Amazon has faced droughts in the past, but now it faces multiple challenges: in addition to the lack of rainfall, scorching heat and extremely high water temperatures are hitting the region simultaneously.Humanitarian Crisis
According to The New York Times, the lack of drinking water is causing a humanitarian crisis. With no alternatives, some residents are drinking, cooking, and bathing with contaminated water. This water is making children and the elderly sick. Health authorities also fear that pools of overheated water could become breeding grounds for mosquitoes that transmit malaria and dengue.
Source: The New York Times