Smoke and low river levels change the logistics of sending ballot boxes in Parintins, Amazonas

Drought and smoke altered the sending of electronic voting machines to the rural area of ​​Parintins this Saturday (24). The operation took place throughout the day.

Electoral Justice employees were instructed to wear smoke masks. The air quality was terrible in the city this Saturday (24).

The municipality records outbreaks of forest fires. One of the largest had been active for 19 days, with an area of ​​1,872.24 hectares.

The sending of electronic voting machines and teams to voting locations in the rural area of ​​Parintins, in the interior of Amazonas, began this Saturday (24). The operation was changed in relation to the first shift due to the drought and smoke that reached the region.

In the first round, shipping began late Friday afternoon. This time, the operation was carried out this Saturday because the low river level and smoke hampered navigation. The teams started working in the early hours of the morning.

According to the Registry Office of the 4th Electoral Zone of Parintins, the municipality has 69 voting locations, 40 of which are in rural areas and 29 in urban areas.

Electoral Justice employees working in Parintins were instructed to wear masks to reduce health risks caused by smoke, especially when working in rural areas.

"We changed the day for transporting the ballot boxes to the rural area. We changed it so that the boats have a better view of the river, which has dropped a lot. So, for security reasons, the poll workers, ballot boxes and security guards leave on Saturday", said the head of the 4th zone registry office, Antonio Mariano.

Even this Saturday morning (24), the air quality remains terrible in the municipality, where the concentration of pollutants reached 193 micrograms per cubic meter, according to the Electronic Environmental Surveillance System (Selva), from the State University of Amazonas (UEA). The platform monitors the concentration of fine particles suspended in the air. These particles are present in smoke from fires and can penetrate deep into the lungs.

Residents who take to the streets report the effects of the smoke, such as a strong smell, burning eyes and dry throat. The situation occurs after a night of intense smoke in the city.

One of the main tourist attractions in Parintins, the Cathedral of Nossa Senhora do Carmo was covered in smoke the night before. During the period, visibility was so low that anyone passing by could only see the most illuminated parts of the church, such as the image of the saint at the top of the tower.

This Saturday morning, the cathedral could already be seen more clearly. Despite this, smoke continued to be present in different areas of the city, impairing visibility in the streets and neighborhoods.

In Parintins, the concentration of polluting particles in the air reached 730 µg/m³ during the early hours of this Saturday (24). In Vila Amazônia, the index reached 600 µg/m³.

The smoke covered urban and rural areas of the municipality. Residents recorded images of the cloud over the city.

Parintins faces several outbreaks of forest fires, including in the vicinity of municipalities in Pará, such as Juruti.

According to the Fire Panel, one of the largest events recorded in the region had been active for 19 days and had an area of ​​influence of 1,872.24 hectares.