Amazonas drought and heat emergency

The state of Amazonas continues to face a climate emergency driven by extreme heat and severe drought. The Amazonas State Health Secretariat (SES-AM) and FVS-RCP have issued technical alerts regarding health risks from extreme temperatures and dry air, urging vulnerable groups to avoid sun exposure.

As of late August 2026, the humanitarian response has expanded. The Civil Defense has distributed 152 water purifier kits, 92 water tanks, and 33,000 food baskets—totaling 759 tons of aid—to various municipalities. While many areas remain under alert, São Paulo de Olivença has been declared to be in a state of emergency. Logistical challenges persist as low river levels, such as the Madeira River in Humaitá, force a shift to road transport, though poor road conditions are complicating the delivery of goods.

Environmental monitoring via the Mamirauá Institute’s ‘Lagos Sentinelas da Amazônia’ project has intensified. The initiative now involves over 200 community members across 52 communities using sensors and satellite imagery to track water quality and temperature. This is vital for protecting river dolphin populations, with researchers using satellite transmitters to track dolphin behavior in response to changing conditions.

In Manaus, the situation is increasingly critical. The Rio Negro ended August 2026 at 24.19 meters, with researchers warning this could become one of the three most severe ebbs in history. Furthermore, the Trata Brasil Institute has highlighted long-term water security risks for Manaus through 2040, noting that unregulated groundwater use and the fact that only 5,000 of an estimated 27,000 active wells are officially registered exacerbate the city’s vulnerability to scarcity.