Water levels in many of the rivers in the Amazon basin have reached their lowest on record amid a continuing drought, the Brazilian Geological Service (SGB) says.
The Madeira river, a major tributary to the Amazon, had fallen to just 48cm in the city of Porto Velho on Tuesday, down from an average of 3.32m for this day, official data showed.
The Solimões river has also fallen to its lowest level on record in Tabatinga, on Brazil’s border with Colombia.
Brazil’s natural disaster monitoring agency Cemaden has described the current drought as the “most intense and widespread” it has ever recorded.
It is particularly concerning because it has worsened relatively early in the Amazon’s dry season, which typically runs from June to November.
That suggests the situation in the Amazon may not significantly improve for some months in a region which is critical in the fight against climate change, as well as being a rich source of biodiversity.
The links between drought and global warming are complicated, but climate change can play a role in worsening dry conditions in two main ways.
Firstly, the Amazon basin is typically receiving less rainfall than it used to between June and November as climate patterns change.
Secondly, hotter temperatures increase the evaporation from plants and soils, so they lose more water.