Earth's rivers running dry

World rivers are dry - 4th November 2024

The world's rivers are getting smaller. According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), our rivers are drying up fast.

In 2023, due to no rain, large areas in North, Central and South America had droughts. The water in the Amazon and Mississippi rivers was extremely low. Across the world in Asia, the Ganges and Mekong were similar.

It was the same story in China with the Yangtze in 2022. Sichuan province is an area where 80 percent of electricity comes from water – hydropower. But the river’s low level meant factories were closed for several days. Meanwhile, New Zealand, the Philippines and countries in east Africa have recently had the opposite problem. There, rivers flooded.

Celeste Saulo, of the WMO, says water issues have a huge effect on lives and the environment. Climate change means there's either too little or too much water. And it's a growing problem. UN-Water has said that 3.6 billion people now have difficulties getting water for a month every year. By 2050, this figure will rise to five billion.

Most communities depend on rivers. They help us to grow food, produce energy and transport goods. Saulo would like better systems to check the condition of the world's fresh water.