Dilma discusses the drought with governors from the Northeast.
The President is in Sergipe with the Minister of National Integration, Fernando Bezerra, to discuss actions that could alleviate the situation in the region, which is suffering from crop losses and a lack of water for the population.
Agency Brazil Bahia is the state in the Northeast region most affected by the drought, with 170 municipalities in a state of emergency. Next is Piauí, with 62 municipalities, according to Civil Defense data.
The drought has been causing crop losses, damage to family farming and loss of livestock, in addition to the lack of water faced by the population. To discuss actions aimed at mitigating the situation, President Dilma Rousseff and the Minister of National Integration, Fernando Bezerra, are meeting today (23) in Aracaju (SE) with governors from the region.
Other northeastern states facing drought include Sergipe, with 18 municipalities in a state of emergency, Pernambuco, with six, and Rio Grande do Norte, with one municipality. The state of emergency decree, in addition to acknowledging the severity of the problem, allows municipalities to contract services and carry out works without bidding processes in an attempt to alleviate the suffering of the population.
In Sergipe, water is being supplied to affected areas via tanker trucks. Approximately 130 vehicles are delivering water to residents. The rural area is the most affected by the lack of rain. In Pernambuco, the state government estimates that 22 cities in the Sertão region and seven in the Agreste region, where more than 300 people live, are being harmed by the drought.
Last Friday (20), the Ministry of National Integration authorized the commitment and transfer of R$ 15 million to the state of Piauí, intended for relief actions, assistance to victims and restoration of essential services in affected localities.
In March and April, the ministry also released a total of R$ 20 million for Bahia. The funds are earmarked for transporting water in tanker trucks, other relief efforts for drought victims, and the restoration of essential services by Civil Defense.