The Amazon River, at the heart of the Brazilian rainforest, has experienced its lowest water level in over a century due to a severe drought, causing significant disruptions to the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and the fragile jungle ecosystem. Shrinking tributaries have stranded boats, cutting off essential supplies to remote villages, while elevated water temperatures have led to the deaths of more than 100 endangered river dolphins.
In the city of Manaus, the most populous in the region, where the Rio Negro and the Amazon River converge, water levels dropped to 13.59 meters on Monday, compared to 17.60 meters the previous year – the lowest since records began in 1902, surpassing the previous record set in 2010. A lack of rain over several months has left the rainforest parched, significantly impacting communities.
The Brazilian government disaster alert center, Cemaden, reported that some parts of the Amazon received the least rainfall from July to September since 1980. The Brazilian Science Ministry attributes this drought to the onset of the El Nino climate phenomenon, which is causing extreme weather patterns worldwide. The effects of the drought are expected to persist until at least December. As of Monday, approximately 481,000 people have been affected by the drought, with vulnerable communities receiving assistance from NGOs to access essential supplies, as transportation via river has become increasingly challenging. Water quality concerns have also arisen due to the reduced water levels, impacting the health of residents, particularly children.
