Unprecedented Drought Hits Brazilian Amazon Regions

Massive fish deaths have occurred due to the receding river levels and warmer waters, leading to contamination of potable water sources. “The scenario is extremely concerning. Not only are river transportation routes hampered, causing potential food and water shortages, but we are also witnessing a considerable number of fish deaths,” stated Silva in a conversation with Reuters.

In regions where fishing is the primary source of protein for many, the livelihoods of approximately 111,000 individuals are currently at risk. Fishing activities will face an inevitable hiatus due to the crisis. Furthermore, the civil defense agency has issued a warning that the consequences of the drought could ultimately reach up to half a million people residing in the Amazon.

On September 27, 2023, the Rio Negro’s water levels had fallen to 16.4 meters, which is a significant 6 meters drop compared to the same day the previous year. This drastic decrease has been attributed to the river losing an average of 30 centimeters (around 11.8 inches) daily since the middle of September, as reported by the Port of Manaus.

To combat this crisis, the government is deploying a federal task force to the states of Amazonas and Acre. This team will be equipped with essential supplies like water, food, and medicines and will be transported by the Air Force. An additional 140 million reais (equivalent to $27.76 million) have been allocated by the government to dredge rivers and ports to maintain transportation when river levels decrease.

The reason behind this drought, as well as the flooding observed in southern Brazil, is the El Niño phenomenon, which results in the warming of the Pacific Ocean’s surface water. The intensity of this year’s El Niño has taken meteorologists by surprise. Silva attributed the unprecedented severity to the merging of the periodic El Niño event and the human-induced global temperature rise.

She commented, “It’s a confluence of two events – the natural El Niño and human-caused global warming.” According to Silva, this potent combination, which is exacerbated by climate change, has induced a drought in the Amazon of a scale never witnessed before. She further cautioned that such extreme events “are likely to occur more frequently and with increased intensity.”

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