The previous drought record in the Amazon was set last year.
The drought in the Amazon region in Brazil is already exceeding record readings. Comparable statistics have been kept for 122 years.
The city of Manaus is located in the central part of Brazil, in the Amazon river region. At Manaus, the Negro River joins the great Amazon.
The surface of the rivers was now at the level of 12.66 meters on Friday. It is lower than ever in the history of measurement. The normal level is 21 meters.
The lack of water is visible in everything. Manaus is usually a major port city. Now shipping is blocked.
The beaches are full of riverboats stranded on dry land. It has become more difficult for people to wash themselves and get clean water.
Dry and rainy seasons have always alternated in the Amazon. With climate change, droughts in particular seem to be getting worse. The previous drought record was set last year.
Rainforests recover from short periods of drought, but the prolongation and intensification of drought scares forest researchers.
Even now, the drought is getting worse, because the rainy season isn’t supposed to start until November.
Sources: AP, Reuters