Cracks in the ground, empty reservoirs and the first water restrictions: São Paulo is experiencing one of the worst droughts in years. You can see just how dramatic the situation in South America's largest metropolis already is in the blue News video.
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- São Paulo is suffering from a severe drought after the driest year in a decade.
- The important Jaguari-Jacareí reservoir has almost dried up and is only around 18 percent full.
- The first water-saving measures are already underway and, according to forecasts, relief is not expected until 2026 at the earliest.
After the driest year in ten years, São Paulo is facing a severe water crisis. For the third year in a row, the Brazilian economic metropolis with around 22 million inhabitants has recorded significantly less rainfall than the long-term average.
The situation at the Jaguari-Jacareí reservoir, the most important reservoir in the Cantareira system, is particularly critical. It supplies around nine million people and is currently less than 18% full - a figure reminiscent of the severe drought in 2014. Large parts of the lake have dried up, leaving behind narrow rivulets.
The authorities have already introduced the first water-saving measures. Since October, the water pressure in the pipes has been reduced at times, sometimes for up to 16 hours a day. If the situation does not improve by the beginning of 2026, the most critical emergency levels are threatened for the first time - including possible rotating water shut-offs.
Meteorologists are hoping for heavier rainfall from 2026. However, experts also see the increasing extremes as a consequence of climate change: less rain overall, but heavier rainfall in short periods of time.
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