Brazil faces worst drought in 80 years

Brazil’s Environment Minister Izabella Teixeira has said that the country’s three most populous states; Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais, must save water as they going through the worst drought since 1930.

Teixeira described the water crisis as “delicate” and “worrying” at an emergency meeting in the country’s capital Brasilia.

The drought is expected to affect the country’s industry and agricultural sectors that would further damage Brazil’s troubled economy. The water shortage is also affecting energy supplies, with a reduction of generation from hydro-electric dams.

The crisis comes at a time of high energy demands with soaring temperatures of the summer months plaguing the country.

“Since records for Brazil's south-eastern region began 84 years ago we have never seen such a delicate and worrying situation,” Teixeira added.

Governor of Sao Paolo Geraldo Alckmin, where the crisis began, has taken several measures, such as raising charges for high consumption levels, offering discounts to those who reduce use, and limiting the amounts captured by industries and agriculture from rivers.

Critics blame poor planning and politics for the worsening situation, with the opposition insisting that the state authorities failed to respond quickly enough to the crisis because Mr Alckmin did not want to alarm people as he was seeking re-election in October 2014.

In Rio de Janeiro state, the main water reservoir has dropped to level zero for the first time since it was built.

Environment Secretary Andre Correa acknowledged that the state was experiencing "the worst water crisis in its history". However,  he said there was enough water in other reservoirs to avoid rationing in Rio de Janeiro for at least another six months.

Correa described the situation in Sao Paulo as "infinitely worse".

However, Rio and Minas Gerais are asking residents and industries to reduce water consumption by as much as 30%.