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In pictures: Brutal drought lingers in Brazil

Cattle are dying and farmers are going bankrupt as a severe drought continues in northeastern Brazil.

"Chiquinho," an ex-miner, walks through a dry river bed. "I(***)ve seen this river full from bank to bank at this same time of year, this month it was supposed to rain all week. The waterfalls are completely dry."

By Flavio Forner

Published On 29 Mar 2013

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Brazil’s northeast interior has been experiencing a severe drought in what should be the rainy season. 

“What falls from the sky does not fill a glass of water,” Raimundo, a farmer, said. Natural vegetation, which would normally provide food for livestock, has dried up and many ranchers cannot afford to buy imported feed for their herds. Many farmers are on the brink of collapse, while others have given up on ranching and have moved to other parts of the country in search of work.

President Dilma Rousseff previously announced $1bn in aid to all of those affected by the drought, but many ranchers are having trouble feeding themselves and their cattle are dying in record numbers. 

The water tank is almost dry, and the little that is left is not enough for cattle on properties near Andarai.
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Ranchers have been depositing bones and carcasses at an animal cemetery. Many dead animals still transmit diseases.
Many families have had to leave their land to seek resources in other municipalities. The coastline is one of the choices, where tourism generates income for people who have nothing to eat.
Raimundo lives in the backcountry and is suffering from the severe drought affecting his cattle in the hinterlands of Bahia. "What falls from the sky does not fill a glass of water," he says.
In Iacu, brackish water has caused kidney stones and hypertension in people who have no other source of drinking water. In this dry period, consumption of water contaminated with animal feces has caused diarrhea.
A girl asks for money on the side of the highway. Because of the drought, many families need to beg on the roads.
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A private truck sells potable water. Some people travel 100km in search of drinkable water, though many cannot afford to pay the price.