Drought in Brazil's Amazon kills hundreds of fish
STORY: A severe drought is decimating fish in Brazil’s Amazon region
affecting some 111,000 people who rely on the fish as their main protein source
[Paulo Monteiro da Cruz / Boat captain]
"You can't eat the fish, you have to go somewhere else to get it, because the fish here are contaminated."
The dead fish are also contaminating the drinking water
[Caroline Silva dos Santos / Vendor]
"It's difficult because of the water pollution, we really need the water to bathe and that's becoming very difficult. And we used to drink the water, but because it's polluted we can't drink it. We're getting water by bringing it from the city where my father travels to."
The water level in one river has fallen almost a foot per day since mid-September
The drought has been compounded by the El Nino weather phenomenon
which has made the water warmer
[Anesio Junior / Fisherman]
"The drier it gets, the more fish die and the more precarious the situation becomes. We're here asking for support from everyone in the municipal and state government who can help us in this emergency situation."
A federal task force has been set up to provide essential supplies
