Escasez de agua en Perú

Peru water shortages

World Water Day was observed internationally - not least in Latin America, and especially in Peru where almost 8 million people live without access to running water.

Reporter: Dan Collyns in Lima

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Scientists predict Peru will be one of the three countries most impacted by climate change. The problems are largely geographic and demographic . Two thirds of the population live in the main cities on the desert coast with a tiny proportion of the nation's rainfall. They rely heavily on the fact that Peru is also home to seventy percent of the world's tropical glaciers .

Peru is also home to the second largest swathe of Amazon rainforest which is under enormous pressure from de-forestation and oil and gas exploration. Scientists say it's crucial to preserve it not only for Peru's water supply but for the global climate system. Researchers say half of Peru's main rivers are polluted, mostly by mining operations in the Andes Mountains. Add to this the ever more frequent El Nino phenomenon which alternately causes drought and flooding.

Peru is already split between the haves and the have nots when it comes to access to water and conflicts are escalating . In Lima many people in poor neighbourhoods pay up to ten times more for water than people living in middle class suburbs.

Listen to the words

impacted
(más) afectado

demographs
demográficos

rely heavily
dependen fuertemente de

glaciers
glaciares

swathe
(en este caso) una área grande de (la selva)

under enormous pressure
sufre de/está afectado en forma negativa

alternately
de forma alternativa

split between the haves and the have nots
dividido entre los que tienen (acceso al agua) y los que no lo tienen

conflicts are escalating
los conflictos están empeorando

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