Published 02:10 IST, November 8th 2019
Brazil: Fires in Pantanal wetlands rip through the biodiverse region
The fires in Brazil have raged in Brazil's Pantalan wetlands that have destroyed the biodiverse region and burnt down a large portion of the area in Corumba.
The blazes in the world's largest tropical wetlands are the latest environmental disaster that Brazil braces after a mysterious oil spill that is affecting the beaches in the northeast and the wildfires in August that sparked in the Amazon region. The fires in Brazil have raged in Brazil's Pantalan wetlands that have destroyed the biodiverse region, burnt down a large portion of the area forcing many to flee and burning alive many animals.
Burnt remains of caimans, iguanas, and snakes found
The Pantanal is a popular eco-tourism hotspot which is spread over parts of Brazil, Bolivia and Uruguay and is considered to be one of the best places for wildlife in South America. It is also home to various flora and fauna. However, this year's dry season has extended much longer than usual. The rescue efforts initiated by the authorities found burnt carcasses of caimans, iguanas, and snakes. A local group, SOS Pantanal reported that hyacinth macaws lost much of their primary food source as the coconut and palm trees went up in flames. According to the data of Brazil's National Institute of Space Research, the area had 516% more fires as compared to the last year during the same time period.
Corumba is the worst affected municipalities
The blazes across the Pantalan are concentrated in a small area in Corumba, a municipality in Mato Grosso do Sul state. Corumba is the worst affected municipalities in the Amazon. Angelo Rabelo, president of an environmental group said that there are no such incidents of fires recorded of this scale. This time the fires in the Pantalan are abnormal because heavy rains usually start in October. But the waters in the rivers and wetlands drained rapidly this year, Rabelo said. He blamed climate change and global warming are the major factors to this massive wildfire across Amazon. Firefighters said that the main cause of the fires is the local people who set fires to clear the land of vegetation. Authorities said that less rainfall, high temperatures, low humidity, and strong winds are the major reasons leading to massive wildfires.
Updated 02:11 IST, November 8th 2019