RIO BRANCO, BRAZIL — Residents of 40 rural communities in Rio Branco have begun receiving water delivered by tanker trucks because of a severe drought. The emergency water supply is one of the measures being taken to reduce the impacts of the drought on the population.

The communities receive water twice a week. More than 40 million liters of water are expected to be distributed throughout the dry season. Rio Branco's Civil Defense agency is also preparing to assist urban areas that may face water shortages.

The measure was adopted after the Rio Branco municipal government declared a state of emergency on Tuesday (Aug. 11) because of the drought affecting the municipality. The decree is valid for 180 days.

The decree also states that technical assessments have identified a growing need for emergency supplies of drinking water delivered by tanker trucks, as well as increased vulnerability among affected populations. According to the decree, the damage and losses caused by the drought exceed the municipality's normal response capacity, requiring additional support from state and federal governments.

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