Communities Line Up for Water in Dry Amazon
2023-11-01
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1A drought is endangering communities in the Amazon, a large rainforest in South America.
2Public officials in Brazil are attempting to transport food and water to thousands of distant communities.
3The situation is more complex as the area has few roads. Boats are the main transportation to these communities.
4Across the huge Amazonas state 59 out of its 62 municipalities are under a state of emergency. About 633,000 people are affected.
5In the capital Manaus, the large Negro river is at its lowest level since official measurements began 121 years ago.
6The Negro flows into the Amazon River.
7The city of Careiro da Varzea is in great need. It lies by the Amazon River not far from Manaus.
8Recently, the municipality gave out emergency supplies.
9The city used a boat that normally transports farm animals.
10The Associated Press joined on transport operations to two communities.
11Each family received a basic food supply and 20 liters of water.
12It was enough for just a few days, but difficult to carry in the heat.
13"I will have to carry the food package on my back for half an hour," Moisés Batista de Souza told the AP.
14He owns a small farm in Sao Lazaro community.
15He said the biggest problem is getting drinkable water.
16He has to walk a long way for that, he says.
17"Everybody in Careiro da Varzea has been affected by the drought," said Jean Costa de Souza.
18He is chief of Civil Defense of Careiro da Varzea, a municipality of 19,600 people.
19Most of them live in rural areas.
20"Unfortunately, people don't have water. Some lost their crops, while others couldn't transport their output," he said.
21Costa de Souza reported also that the municipality will complete the first transports to all rural communities next week.
22The local government is now planning two more transports.
23They are waiting for state and federal aid.
24Periods of dry weather are part of the Amazon's usual weather pattern.
25Lighter rainfall happens from May to October for most of the rainforest.
26This year's dry season is longer because of two different weather events:
27the warming of northern Equatorial Atlantic Ocean waters and El Niño. El Niño is the warming of surface waters in the Equatorial Pacific area.
28It will be at its strongest point between December and January.
29I'm Gregory Stachel.
1A drought is endangering communities in the Amazon, a large rainforest in South America. 2Public officials in Brazil are attempting to transport food and water to thousands of distant communities. The situation is more complex as the area has few roads. Boats are the main transportation to these communities. 3Across the huge Amazonas state 59 out of its 62 municipalities are under a state of emergency. About 633,000 people are affected. In the capital Manaus, the large Negro river is at its lowest level since official measurements began 121 years ago. The Negro flows into the Amazon River. 4The city of Careiro da Varzea is in great need. It lies by the Amazon River not far from Manaus. Recently, the municipality gave out emergency supplies. The city used a boat that normally transports farm animals. 5The Associated Press joined on transport operations to two communities. 6Each family received a basic food supply and 20 liters of water. It was enough for just a few days, but difficult to carry in the heat. 7"I will have to carry the food package on my back for half an hour," Moisés Batista de Souza told the AP. He owns a small farm in Sao Lazaro community. He said the biggest problem is getting drinkable water. He has to walk a long way for that, he says. 8"Everybody in Careiro da Varzea has been affected by the drought," said Jean Costa de Souza. He is chief of Civil Defense of Careiro da Varzea, a municipality of 19,600 people. Most of them live in rural areas. 9"Unfortunately, people don't have water. Some lost their crops, while others couldn't transport their output," he said. 10Costa de Souza reported also that the municipality will complete the first transports to all rural communities next week. The local government is now planning two more transports. They are waiting for state and federal aid. 11Periods of dry weather are part of the Amazon's usual weather pattern. Lighter rainfall happens from May to October for most of the rainforest. 12This year's dry season is longer because of two different weather events: the warming of northern Equatorial Atlantic Ocean waters and El Niño. El Niño is the warming of surface waters in the Equatorial Pacific area. It will be at its strongest point between December and January. 13I'm Gregory Stachel. 14Edmar Barros reported this story for The Associated Press. Gregory Stachel adapted the story for VOA Learning English. 15______________________________________________________ 16Words in This Story 17drought - n. a long period of time during which there is very little or no rain 18unfortunately - n. in a regrettable, unlucky, or unsuitable manner 19municipality - n. a city or town that has its own government to deal with local problems 20pattern - n. the regular and repeated way in which something happens or is done