The lowest water levels in the Amazon in more than 100 years
Water levels in the Amazon River are at their lowest point in more than 100 years, Reuters reports.
In the major city of Manaus, where the Amazon River meets the Rio Negro, the water level reached 13.59 meters on Monday. This is the lowest level ever measured since measurements began in 1902. At the same time last year, the water level was 17.60 meters.
The Amazon rainforest is experiencing extreme drought. Eight states in Brazil recorded their lowest rainfall amounts from July to September in 40 years. The drought is predicted to last until the turn of the year.
This is the fourth major drought in the Amazon in the last 15 years. Scientists point to the El Nino weather phenomenon and climate change to explain this year’s drought.
Authorities said 481,000 people were affected by the drought. The Amazon’s large lakes and tributaries have dried up. In the rainforest, the next thing is that there are no roads. People traveled by riverboat, or by seaplane if they could afford it. Now riverboats are stuck on sand banks and seaplanes have no water to land on.
One of those affected by the drought is the Amazon dolphin. It is the largest species of river dolphin in the world and lives in most river networks. More than 100 endangered dolphins have died.
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