‘Everything is dead’: How record drought is wreaking havoc on the Amazon
Al Jazeera
Communities that rely on the rainforest’s waterways now find themselves struggling with fire and plunging water levels.
Curralinho, Brazil – For communities on the Brazilian island of Marajó, the ebb and flow of the Canaticu River marks the turn of the seasons.
During the rainy months, the river is several metres deep, lapping below the wooden houses that rise from its shores on stilts. Residents rely on its water for drinking, cooking and washing.
But when summer hits, the river dwindles to a stream. Still, its flow is normally sufficient for locals to meet their daily needs.
This year, however, a severe drought has engulfed large swaths of Brazil’s Amazon rainforest. All that remains of the Canaticu River in some areas is a dark brown trickle, laden with bacteria and almost completely dried up.
“Now we cannot use it for anything. It wasn’t like this before,” said 36-year-old Elizete Lima Nascimento, who has lived in one of the riverside communities, Serafina, for the past decade.
