It is believed to be the worst drought in history spreading from São Paulo to Rio de Janeiro and beyond with over four million people affected by rationing and rolling power cuts.
Brazil is realizing the hard way that its very survival is threatened and it can no longer rely on once abundant water supplies in a period of rising temperatures and diminishing rainfall.
As a result of this the political and economic fallout for the world’s seventh biggest economy is increasingly apparent as protesters in dry neighborhoods take to the streets.
São Paulo – the most populous city in South America has been worst hit by the drought. The shortage over the year has resulted in shortages and the water in the city has been reduced to a quarter since last January. And, they have been warned that the situation could deteriorate.
As many as six cities have been hit by blackouts due to weak hydroelectricity generation and high demand for air conditioning with temperatures soaring to over 35C.
To counter that, utilities are going in for more of fossil fuels, adding to the cost of energy and greenhouse gas emissions. The government has acknowledged that Brazil is also now importing power from Argentina to tide over the crisis and cover the shortfall.
The water shortage in Brazil and associated problems highlights the effects of global warming that will be felt on ground and these should be taken as warning signs of what could finally happen not only in Brazil but anywhere else in the world. Once the ecological balance is disturbed due to global warming, water bodies keep drying up and availability of water diminishes. When rainfall becomes erratic, the problem aggravates further and, we have to face such problems.
