Happy Friday! Today, news of water emergencies in five Brazilian states as rainfall hits 80-year low. Cattle breeders rejoice as several states are certified foot-and-mouth free. Bolsonaro launches another attack on coronavirus restrictions.
Five states face water emergency
The Brazilian federal government will issue a water emergency alert today in the states of Goiás, Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso do Sul, São Paulo, and Paraná. This is the first time Brazil’s 111-year-old meteorological service has issued such a warning. Between September 2020 and April 2021, Brazil registered the lowest amount of rainfall for the period since 1931.
Why it matters. The states mentioned in the alert are home to the country’s main water reservoirs (used for energy production), which are at worryingly low levels as Brazil heads into a dry season.
State of play. Rainfall is only due to pick up by late September, and droughts are expected to be particularly harsh in the Center-West and Southeast regions.
- The number of cities under “high” or “very high” water supply alerts is the highest in at least a decade.
- In the Cantareira water system — the main water supply for Greater São Paulo — reservoirs have fallen to 51 percent capacity,...