Record drought could keep Amazon dry through 2026

Bangkok Post Group

A record-breaking drought has sapped the Amazon River and four of its biggest tributaries to their lowest levels in at least half a century, as scientists anticipate the next year could bring an even more intense drought. - REUTERS

Transcript

00:00 From killing hundreds of endangered river dolphins to threatening the livelihoods of

00:06 millions of people, this is the impact of the Amazon Rainforest's historic drought.

00:13 It's sapped the Amazon River and four of its biggest tributaries to their lowest level

00:18 in at least half a century.

00:20 And the worst may be yet to come.

00:25 Experts are predicting an even more intense drought next year due to extreme ocean temperatures

00:30 worsened by global warming.

00:32 MARIA MAURICIO, Amazon Rainforest (through translator): What is expected is that, next

00:37 year, there will still be a drought due to this year's low water levels.

00:41 And that happens because the water reserve will be compromised, and also because of this

00:45 year's drought.

00:46 AMNA NAWAZ: Amazonas, which has been hit hardest by the drought, declared a public emergency

00:51 in September.

00:52 The state has delivered drinking water and food staples via aircraft and smaller boats.

00:58 Helicopters are working overtime to airlift the sick.

01:01 Meanwhile, thousands of students are enrolled in online classes because they can no longer

01:06 get to school.

01:08 The federal government has pledged millions of dollars towards relief efforts.

01:12 The human side is the one that suffers these consequences the most.

01:18 Nine scientists interviewed by Reuters said the effects of the drought will only begin

01:22 to recede with the onset of the rainy season in late 2024.

01:27 Five of those scientists didn't expect the Amazon to recover before 2026.

01:33 They expect it will take two healthy rainy seasons to restore normal soil moisture in

01:38 the rainforest.

01:40 But even that could change, based on El Niño, the naturally occurring phenomenon roils global

01:45 weather every two to seven years.

01:48 As it warms waters off the Pacific coast of South America, it pulls rains in that direction,

01:53 depressing precipitation in the Amazon.

01:56 The current El Niño is estimated to last until mid-2024.

02:00 2024.

02:01 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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