Sao Paulo and the 20 million people who live there are literally running out of water and it's getting dangerous

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Brazil drought protests

AP Photo/Andre Penner

A demonstrator shouts anti-government slogans against the rationing of water during a protest in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2015. Southeastern Brazil is suffering the worst drought in more than eight decades, and authorities said that water rationing could escalate to a dramatic five days-off, two days-on.

Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world, measured by area or population, and it's home to one-eighth of the fresh water on the planet, including the Amazon, the mightiest river in the world.

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But Brazil's most populous region is facing the worst drought it has encountered in a century and as the New York Times reports, São Paulo, the largest and richest city in the country, is running out of water.

Some residents say their water is already cut off for more than half of every day, and the drastic situation is getting worse, igniting protests in the city and surrounding region.