The Tapajós River, a lifeline in Brazil’s Amazon basin, has reached historically low levels this year amid an unprecedented drought. The urgent situation made the National Water and Sanitation Agency (ANA) declare a water scarcity emergency for the river’s lower stretch, from Itaituba to Santarém cities, marking the first time the agency has issued such a declaration for the Tapajós.
A series of photographs taken by Araquem Alcântara reveals just how stark the situation is.
Photo credit: Araquem Alcântara
The situation has severely impacted riverine communities that rely on the Tapajós for transport, commerce, and daily sustenance. River transport, crucial for accessing remote areas and transporting goods, has become increasingly challenging. In communities like Boim, school transport services are struggling to reach schools, with some children being carried to avoid missing classes. While droughts are part of the Amazon’s natural cycle, the frequency and severity of such events have escalated as a result of the climate crisis, turning what used to be rare occurrences into a troubling new norm for the region.
The situation is not limited to the Tapajos River, as SUMAUMA reported in this interactive map of major rivers in the Amazon. According to Brazil’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, 58% of the country is currently affected by drought, the worst seen in 75 years.
Because of the alarming situation, International Rivers has joined other social movements and organizations calling on governments to take emergency and structural action on the climate crisis. Read the full letter here (Portuguese).
Feature photo: Araquem Alcântara