Drought worsens in the South and Northeast, says Monitor

The most recent update of the Drought Monitor, from the National Water Agency, indicates that, between March and April 2025, there was a slowdown in the phenomenon in seven Brazilian states. On the other hand, the drought intensified in April in 12, including Alagoas, Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul. In four other states, the scenario remained stable. 

The Central-West region had the mildest drought conditions in April, while the Northeast had the most severe situation, with 29% of its area experiencing severe drought. In the comparison between March and April, six northeastern states recorded an increase in the area affected by drought: Alagoas, Ceará, Paraíba, Piauí, Rio Grande do Norte and Sergipe.

In the opposite direction, the Monitor verified a decrease in the area with the phenomenon in seven other states: Amazonas, Espírito Santo, Mato Grosso, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Tocantins. In total, between March and April, the area with the phenomenon fell from 6,36 million to 4,67 million km², equivalent to 55% of the Brazilian territory.

Situation by State

Acre

Between March and April, the area with drought remained at 40% of Acre. This is the smallest portion with the phenomenon recorded in AC since March 2024, when there was drought in 27% of the state.

Alagoas

Between March and April, the area affected by drought in Alagoas increased from 77% to 100% of the state's territory. This is the first time that the phenomenon has been recorded in the entire state of Alagoas since December 2024.

Amapá

Drought was again recorded in 43% of Amapá in April, after two months without recording the phenomenon in the state. It is the largest area with drought since December 2024, when AP recorded the phenomenon in 82% of its territory.

Amazon

Between March and April, the area affected by drought in the Amazonas territory fell from 74% to 52%. This is the smallest area affected by drought in the state since May 2023, when AM recorded drought in 24% of its territory.

Bahia

Between March and April, the area with drought remained at 96% of the territory of Bahia. It is the largest area with the phenomenon in the state since December 2024, when there was drought in 97% of the territory of Bahia. With this scenario, Bahia had the most severe drought condition among all 27 units of the Federation in April.

Ceará

The area affected by drought in Ceará increased from 20% to 55% of the state between March and April. Even so, the state had the lowest percentage of area affected by drought among the states in the Northeast in April.

Federal District

Between May 2024 and April 2025, drought remained present in 100% of the Federal District. This is the first time that the Federation unit has recorded drought across its entire territory for 12 consecutive months, since July 2020, when the DF entered the Drought Monitor Map.

Espírito Santo

The area affected by drought in Espírito Santo decreased from 100% to 90% between March and April. This is the smallest area with drought recorded in Espírito Santo since January of this year, when 31% of the state was affected by drought.

Goiás

The drought eased in Goiás between March and April, with moderate drought decreasing from 75% to 69% of the state.

Maranhao

Between March and April, the area with drought remained at 76% of Maranhão. This is the lowest percentage of the phenomenon in the state since July 2024, when there was drought in 73% of the state.

Mato Grosso

Between March and April, the area affected by drought decreased significantly from 74% to 29% in Mato Grosso. This is the smallest area affected by drought in Mato Grosso since June 2021, when the state entered the Drought Monitor Map. Among the states of the Central-West region, Mato Grosso had the lowest percentage of area affected by the phenomenon in April.

Mato Grosso do Sul

In Mato Grosso do Sul, the area with drought remained throughout the state between July 2024 and April 2025. Since the period between October 2021 and July 2022, it is the first time that the state has recorded ten consecutive months of the phenomenon throughout the entire territory of Mato Grosso do Sul.

Minas Gerais

The area affected by drought in Minas Gerais decreased from 100% to 74% of the state between March and April. This is the smallest portion of the state with drought since the 38% observed in January of this year. With this scenario, Minas Gerais had the most severe drought among the states in the Southeast in April. 

Para

In March and April, Pará remained free from drought. Along with Rondônia and Roraima, Pará did not register the phenomenon in April, being the only units of the Federation free from the phenomenon. 

Paraíba

Between March and April, the area affected by drought increased, rising from 92% to 100% of Paraíba. This is the first time since January that the state has recorded the phenomenon across its entire territory. This is the most severe condition of the phenomenon in Paraíba since December 2024.

Paraná

Between March and April, the area with drought remained at 74% of Paraná. Even so, the state had the lowest percentage of area with drought in the South in April. 

Pernambuco

Pernambuco continued to experience drought across 100% of its territory between September 2024 and April of this year. This is the first time that the state has recorded the phenomenon across its entire area for eight consecutive months since the period between October 2016 and May 2017. This is the most severe drought in the state since the 36% severe drought recorded in February 2020. 

Piaui

Between March and April of this year, the area affected by drought in Piauí increased from 99% to 100% of the state. This is the worst condition since October 2021, when PI experienced severe drought in 21% of its territory.

Rio de Janeiro

In the state of Rio de Janeiro, the area affected by drought decreased significantly from 100% to 27% of the territory between March and April. Since January of this year, when it was free of the phenomenon, RJ had its best drought conditions in April. 

Rio Grande do Norte

Between March and April, the area affected by drought in Rio Grande do Norte increased from 34% to 100% of the state. Since December 2024, this is the first time that RN has recorded drought across its entire territory.

Rio Grande do Sul

Between February and April, the area with drought in RS remained throughout the entire state of Rio Grande do Sul. This is the first time that the state has recorded the phenomenon across its entire area for three consecutive months since the period between April 2023 and June 2023. As a result, in April, Rio Grande do Sul was the state in the South region with the highest percentage of area with drought.

Rondônia

In April of this year, drought was no longer recorded in Rondônia for the first time since August 2022, when the state entered the Drought Monitor Map.

Roraima

In April of this year, drought was no longer recorded in Roraima for the first time since November 2023, when the state entered the Drought Monitor Map. RR, Pará and Rondônia were the states that were free from drought in April.

Santa Catarina

Santa Catarina remained at the level of 95% of the area with drought between March and April. This is the highest percentage of area with drought in the state since September 2021, when there was drought in 99,6% of SC.

São Paulo

In the State of São Paulo, between March and April, the area with drought decreased from 100% to 91%. This is the smallest area with drought in SP since May 2024, when 85% of the state was drought-stricken.

Sergipe

Between March and April, the area affected by drought increased from 77% to 83% of Sergipe. This is the largest area with a record of the phenomenon in Sergipe since the 100% drought observed in January of this year.

Tocantins

Between March and April, the area affected by drought decreased in Tocantins from 70% to 60% of the state. It is the smallest area affected by the phenomenon in TO since May 2023, when drought was recorded in 47% of the Tocantins territory.