. >> reporter: i am alan fisher in northeastern brazil.ears ago this was a rez reservoir that stretched almost as far as the eye could see this is the sign of drought. people here are running out of options and patience. the the ♪ >>> hello again let's have a look at the top stories here at al jazerra. the reuters news salt is a is reporting than the u.n. is launching an appeal for nearly $300 million to meet humanitarian needs in yemen. on thursday, yemen's new vice president called on houthi rebels to end their offensive on the poured city of port city of aden. >>> the u.n. security councilmembers have heard first person accounts from to be tours treating victims of chlorine attacks, many children. the u.n. says it will try to identify and prosecute the attackers. >>> syrian president bashar al-assad has appeared in a television interview as part of national day celebrations. in the interview he blamed europe for isil's advance across the middle east. more than 220,000 people have been killed in the syrian conflict since it began in 2011

they will stay largely dry across northeastern brazil. you can see the winds coming in from that easterly direction. you might see one or two showers coming back in over the next couple of days. a little change going on here. you can see the flooding further saw the remains a problem. we've had problems across parts of the u.s., no sign of rain clearing away over the next couple of days. likewise towards the west, it stays dry. >> thank you very much. ahead on al jazeera we'll tell you why a journalist in china has been sent to jail. >> the changing facing of street art in india's capitol city. >> still ahead in sport the new masters champion returns to action but his day does not go as planned. we will have the details. >> welcome back. let's look at the top stories here on al jazeera. >> south africa's foreign minister is calling for diplomatic support from neighbors nations in attacks. men armed with machetes have conducted break ins at shops. >> humanitarian needs are iryemen for medical supplies and food assistance for 7.5 million pe

. >> reporter: 56 tons of cities in northeastern brazil are suffering severe drought and another 49 ares is the rainy season and have been enough to keep things green but not much more and not for sometime. three years ago this reservoir would have been full,, in fact, where i'm standing the water would have been above my head and gives you an idea of devastation that is caused in the region and what is left of what was once a very large lake. fields lay abandon and growing grapes here but not enough water to produce a crop and farmers like antonio walked away for an area that relies on agriculture the continued water shortage is killing crops and jobs and killing hope. >> translator: there is hope only if god helps us or the government without water we have nothing. >> reporter: when the water truck ar appears it pumps 20,000 and should do 90 families for three days but locals know this is not a long-term solution. >> translator: if the course of the river could be changed it would help farmers not only here but in other towns where creeks are completely dry. >> reporter: the governmen

. >>> and northeastern brazil will drought is devastating cities, towns and villages and the brazil government announce emergency plan to try to revive the region. and as allen fisher reports the lack of water is effecting everyone as well as farmers' crops. >> reporter: it is a good day here, the water truck came. that means she can fill her buckets, do her washing and feel for a few hours that things are getting better. >> translator: we are saving water and using it to wash our clothes, to water the plants and to clean the floor. >> reporter: 56 cities in the region in northeastern brazil are suffering severe drought and another 49 are critical. this is the rainy season and it's keeping it green but only for a time. three years ago this reservoir would have been full and the water would have been above my head, this gives you an idea of the devastation that has been caused in the region and what is left of what was once a very large lake. fields lay abandon and growing grapes here but there is not enough water to produce crop and the farmers walked away. for an area that relies on agricultu

. >> reporter: 56 towns and cities in this region in northeastern brazil are suffering severe drought are critical. this is the rainy season. there has been enough to keep things green, but not much more. and not for sometime. three years ago this reservoir would have been fill. and the water would have been above my head. this gives you an idea of the devastation that has been caused in this region. fields lie abandoned, they were growing grapes here but there is not enough water to produce a crop so the farmers walked away. for an area that relies on agriculture, the continued water shortage is killing crops, jobs and hope. >> translator: there is hope only if god helps us or the government, without water we have nothing. >> reporter: the water truck appears it has enough water for 90 families for days. >> translator: if the course of the river could be changed it could help. >> reporter: the go will present a emergency plan in the next few weeks detailing how it will tackle the drought. but there is no quick fix or solution for problems years in the making. >>> ahead on al jazeera,