PURAQUEQUARA LAKE - ENVIRONMENT

News: Amazon's Indigenous people urge Brazil to declare climate emergency as rivers dry up

 

What's in the news?

       Recently, Lake PURAQUEQUARA in Amazonas, once abundant with water, has transformed into mud flats, signalling a dire situation.

 

Key takeaways:

       The most serious problem for Indigenous communities that have no running water is sanitation now that the river water cannot be drunk.

 

LAKE PURAQUEQUARA:

Location:

       Lake PURAQUEQUARA is located in the Amazon River basin.

 

Cause:

       The drying of the lake is attributed to severe drought in the Amazon River basin, resulting from El Niño and the warming of northern tropical Atlantic Ocean waters.

 

Climate Change Impact:

       Global warming and the burning of fossil fuels exacerbate these climate phenomena, further affecting the region.

 

Amazon River Basin:

       The Amazon River basin is the world's largest drainage basin.

       It spans approximately 34% of South America's landmass.

       This basin is home to approximately 60% of the world's rainforest and supports about 10% of the planet's known forms of life.

 

Countries Covered:

       The Amazon River basin covers multiple countries, including Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela. 

       It crosses the equator and the Tropic of Capricorn in Brazil.