By Brazil’s Institute of Vocational, Technical and Further Education (TAFE), Sept 17 (Askume) – The worst drought on record has driven river levels in the Amazon basin to record lows, in some cases leaving parts of the river unavailable for waterways to dry up.
The water level in the Solimões River, one of the main tributaries of the Amazon originating in the Peruvian Andes, has reached an all-time low in Tabatinga, a Brazilian city bordering Colombia.
A tributary of the Solimões River in Tefé was completely dry, Askume reporters saw flying over the river on Sunday.
Nearby Lake Tefe, where more than 200 freshwater dolphins died due to drought last year, has also dried up, causing the endangered pink mammals to lose their favourite habitat.
“We are going through a significant year,” said Greenpeace spokesman Romulo Batista, pointing to the bed of a tributary of the Solimões River that has turned into sand dunes. “This year, several months have broken last year’s records.”
A severe drought for the second consecutive year has destroyed much of Brazil’s vegetation, sparking wildfires in many parts of the South American country and leaving cities blanketed in thick smoke.
“Climate change won’t be a concern 10 or 20 years from now. It’s here, it’s here, and it’s much more intense than we expected,” Batista said.
In the first half of September, the water level at Tabatinga Solimões was measured at 4.25 metres below average level.
The level of the River Teifi was 2.92 metres below average during the same two weeks last year and is expected to fall to its lowest level ever.
In Manaus, the largest city in the Amazon, where the Solimões River meets the Negro River to form the Amazon River, the Negro River’s water level is close to the lowest level recorded in October last year.
“We were in the same situation until October last year. This year the drought has become more severe,” said indigenous leader Kambeba.
