Brazil drought triggers state of emergency

Brazil's government declared a state of emergency Tuesday which affected over 253 towns in the states of Rio Grande do Sul, Parana and Santa Catarina, in the south of the nation, due to a major drought.

Santa Catarina state was in the most serious situation in the region, as 195 out of its 293 towns had declared a state of emergency. Losses of 286 million U.S. dollars were registered up to July 12, according to the emergency forces.

In the state of Parana, there are 42 towns at risk with 22 being monitored closely. The main problem caused by the drought is the major threat to the generation of electricity, as the reservoirs supporting hydroelectric plants are 75 percent below their maximum level.

Rio Grande do Sul is the least affected state but it still has 16 towns endangered, three of which have serious problems concerning drinking water supplies.

Marcio Luiz Alves, Captain of local emergency forces, said the drought had also caused social problems, as many peasants have had to leave for urban centers because of a lack of resources in their hometowns.

He added that the federal government had not yet answered any of the states' requests for help.

Source: Xinhua