Manaus, Brazil

The Amazon River, a lifeline of the Brazilian rain forest, has plummeted to its lowest level in more than a century, as a severe drought disrupts the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and wreaks havoc on the jungle's fragile ecosystem.

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Rapidly dwindling tributaries have left boats stranded, cutting off essential supplies to remote villages and decimating the river's biodiversity, including the population of endangered river dolphins.

The port city of Manaus, at the confluence of the Rio Negro and the Amazon River, has recorded historically low water levels, posing a dire situation for the region's most populous city.

Villagers in the heart of the Amazon rainforest have been grappling with months of relentless drought. 

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Historic low water levels

The situation is deeply alarming, with the port of Manaus measuring a mere 13.59 meters (44.6 ft) of water on a Monday compared to 17.60 meters just a year ago.

This record low is the lowest level registered since the commencement of record-keeping in 1902, surpassing the previous all-time low in 2010. The implications of such a drastic drop in water levels are extensive, touching upon transportation, agriculture, and health.

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The Brazilian government's disaster alert centre, Cemaden, has noted that some areas of the Amazon have experienced the driest period from July to September since 1980.

The Brazilian Science Ministry attributes this dire situation to the onset of the El Niño climate phenomenon, which has caused extreme weather patterns globally.

It anticipates that the drought will persist at least until December when El Niño's effects are expected to peak. This has created a severe predicament, impacting not only the immediate environment but also the livelihoods of thousands of people.

Also read | Over 100 dolphins found dead in Amazon as water temperature soars to 39°C

Impact on local communities

The drought's impact is acutely felt by local communities, affecting the lives of 481,000 people as of the most recent data.

Isolation due to dried-up river channels has hindered the transportation of essential supplies, including food, clean water, and medicines. While some areas remain reachable by canoe, many boats have been unable to navigate the receding waters, leading to a reliance on tractors or foot travel to deliver goods.

In addition to logistical challenges, the drought has posed severe health risks to residents. Reduced water levels have raised concerns about the cleanliness of local water supplies. The scarcity of clean water has led to health issues among the community's children, with instances of diarrhoea, vomiting, and fever due to waterborne diseases becoming more frequent.

(With inputs from agencies)

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