Water levels in Brazil reach critical historic lows
Several tributaries of the Amazon River, one of the longest and most abundant in the world, are in a “critical water shortage situation” due to the historic drought affecting Brazil. teleSUR
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00:00Several affluents of the Amazon River are in a critical situation of water shortages
00:16due to the historic drought affecting Brazil.
00:19Authorities report that the Anchinco rivers, which feed the Belo Monte hydroelectric plant,
00:25are below minimum levels for this time of year.
00:28Belo Monte generates 11% of the energy of the National Integrated System, and records
00:32natural flows considerably lower than those registered in 2023, and closer to the historical
00:37minimum.
00:38As a consequence, local indigenous communities resort to using ice, carrying it as they walk
00:42on the sand of the dried-up Rio Negro.
00:46Reports indicate the possibility of reaching even more critical levels in October and November.
00:50I was born and raised in this community.
01:01We've rarely seen the river like this.
01:04Every seven or eight years it would dry up.
01:07But today we're seeing this drought come back to back.
01:11Last year the whole river dried up, and this year the whole river dried up again.
01:16Our biggest problem today is electricity, which we don't have.
01:21And because we don't have electricity, we have to walk a kilometer to bring the ice.