Dramatic images show the magnitude of the drought in the Amazon and its rivers

Drought is devastating Brazil’s Amazon rainforest and some rivers are at historic lows. Images of one of the main tributaries of the Amazon River, the Negro River, show the dramatic reduction in its water level.

When The Associated Press photographed the Negro River and surrounding areas in June and early July, it was about 27 meters (88.5 feet) deep in the port of Manaus. In just three months, it has shrunk by about half, reaching 13.9 meters (45.6 feet) on Thursday.

If the decrease in the depth of the Negro River continues at the same pace, in one week it will break the record of its lowest level in the 122 years of record. The record was set last year, but was recorded towards the end of October.

The Negro River drains about 10% of the Amazon basin and is the sixth largest in the world by water volume. Manaus, the largest city in the rainforest, is where the Negro River joins the Amazon, which in Brazil is known as Solimoes.

Riverside communities surrounding Manaus and other parts of the Amazon have been stranded. Authorities have distributed drinking water and water purification systems. Passenger and cargo boats have difficulty navigating surface waters.

The fishing federation of the state of Amazonas warned that limiting access to nearby traditional fishing areas puts their way of life at risk, reducing the supply of the staple food and raising prices. The cost of bottled water and other goods in remote areas has also increased.

Water levels in the Brazilian Amazon always rise and fall with the rainy and dry seasons, but not like this. At this time of year, the Negro River should be about 21 meters (68 feet) deep at the port of Manaus, according to the country’s geological service. And all major rivers are at critical levels, with the most dramatic reduction being that of the Madeira River, the longest tributary of the Amazon.

On Monday, at the measurement site in the city of Porto Velho, the level of the Madeira fell to just 25 centimeters (about 10 inches), a record since measurements began to be recorded in 1967, and more than 3 meters below of the historical average for the date. It rose the next day, but only slightly, and river levels are expected to remain low well into October.

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