The extreme drought in the Amazon is affecting more than 420,000 children, mainly from indigenous communities in Brazil, Peru, and Colombia, who rely on waterways to access food, medicine, and go to school, warned Unicef.
“We are witnessing the devastation of an essential ecosystem on which families depend, leaving many children without adequate access to food, water, healthcare, and schools,” said Unicef’s executive director, Catherine Russell.
The drought, linked to climate change, has hit the world’s largest tropical rainforest, especially in Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, and Colombia. Important tributaries of the Amazon have practically dried up, seriously affecting indigenous communities in remote areas.
Impact of Extreme Drought in the Amazon
“In that area, rivers are like roads, people move exclusively through those small tributaries,” explained Antonio Marro, Unicef’s emergency manager for Latin America.
The severe drought prevents access to health centers and schools, and without water for fishing or agriculture, the local economy is paralyzed. An increase in cases of dengue, malaria, and chronic malnutrition among young children has been reported.
Response and Needs
Governments in the region have activated emergency plans, but the vastness of the territory and the numerous affected remote communities make the tasks challenging.
Unicef estimates that $10 million in donations are needed in the coming months to address the emergency, before the UN climate change conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Affected Infrastructures
In the Amazon region of Brazil, more than 1,700 schools and 760 health centers have closed or become inaccessible. In Peru, over 50 health posts in Loreto have been affected, while 130 schools in the Colombian Amazon have suspended classes.
In Colombia, the emergency also increases the risks of recruitment, use, and exploitation of children by non-state armed groups. Unicef emphasized the urgency of addressing this crisis to protect minors and their communities.
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