Amazon Drought Puts Nearly Half a Million Children at Risk

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has raised urgent concerns about the impact of severe drought in the Amazon, which is putting over 420,000 children in Brazil, Colombia, and Peru at heightened risk.

This prolonged drought, which has been ongoing since last year, has led to Amazon River levels reaching historic lows, severely affecting riverbank communities and indigenous populations in the region.

According to UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell, the crisis has dealt a "devastating blow to a critical ecosystem," leaving thousands of children without adequate food, water, healthcare, or education.

Russell emphasized the pressing need to "mitigate the impact of extreme climate crises to protect today’s children and future generations," noting that the health of the Amazon directly affects global wellbeing.

The drought has significantly disrupted daily life across Amazonian areas in these three countries. UNICEF reports that more than 1,700 schools and 760 healthcare facilities in the Brazilian Amazon have been closed or rendered inaccessible due to low river levels.

In Colombia’s Amazon region, river water levels have dropped by as much as 80%, restricting access to safe drinking water, food supplies, and leading to the closure of more than 130 schools.

Compounding the crisis, Brazil's National Center for Natural Disaster Monitoring reports that over one-third of the country is currently facing severe drought.

Experts attribute this extreme weather pattern to the El Niño phenomenon, which has intensified the effects of climate change, further stressing the fragile Amazon ecosystem and amplifying risks to vulnerable populations.