Amazon drought health fears
Disease fears: a man paddles his boat through dead fish on Lake Rei, near the Amazon town of Careiro da Varzea, Brazil.
BRAZIL is setting aside more relief funding for the Amazon region to stave off epidemics and help residents cope with the worst drought in 40 years.
A week after saying it would use the army to prevent food shortages and sickness in more than 900 towns and villages, the Government budgeted an additional $A18 million for its biggest Amazon relief effort.
"We have to prevent epidemics," National Integration Minister Ciro Gomes said. "The most worrying thing is the pollution of drinking water."
Since the drought began two months ago, millions of fish have died and rotted in the dry beds of Amazon tributaries that provide water, food and access to towns.
As people drink water contaminated by dead fish and human waste, officials fear outbreaks of disease.
Water levels are expected to fall for several weeks before winter rains arrive. Lack of rain occurs naturally in the Amazon, but some scientists argue the drought may have been aggravated by deforestation.