Amazon River Basin faces severe drought, over 200 dolphins perish, water levels hit...

Amazon River basin is facing an extraordinary drought, with water levels dropping to historic lows throughout the region. This environmental crisis is impacting navigation, wildlife, and local communities, raising serious concerns about the accelerating effects of climate change.

The Amazon River, known for carrying the largest volume of water in the world, begins in the Peruvian Andes, at an elevation of 5,598 meters. It starts as a small tributary named Carhuasanta, located just 192 kilometers from the Pacific Ocean. Remarkably, about one-sixth of the world's freshwater that flows into the oceans passes through the Amazon's 320-kilometer-wide delta as it empties into the Atlantic.

The river's width changes with the seasons; during the dry season, it measures between 4 to 5 kilometers wide, while in the wet season, it can expand to 50 kilometers. At its peak flow, the current can reach speeds of up to 7 kilometers per hour.

In Tabatinga, a Brazilian town on the border with Colombia, the Solimoes River—a major tributary of the Amazon—has hit its lowest recorded level. Further downstream in Tefe, another branch of the Solimoes has completely dried up, turning navigable waterways into barren stretches of sand. The situation is dire, especially in Lake Tefe, where over 200 freshwater dolphins died during last year's drought. Now, the lake has dried up entirely, leaving the endangered pink dolphins without a critical habitat.

Greenpeace spokesperson Romulo Batista highlighted the severity of this year’s drought, stating that many months have already broken last year's records. The impact is not limited to the rivers; it is also drying out vegetation across Brazil and fueling wildfires that are blanketing South American cities in smoke.

Manaus, the largest city in the Amazon, is particularly affected, with water levels approaching last year's record lows. Indigenous leader Kambeba noted that the situation has worsened compared to the previous year, with drought conditions starting earlier.

This crisis underscores the urgent and escalating impacts of climate change. As Batista remarked, "Climate change is no longer something to worry about in the future... It's here and it's here with much more force than we expected." As the Amazon basin endures this severe drought for a second consecutive year, there are growing fears about the long-term effects on the region's ecosystem, biodiversity, and the communities that rely on these vital waterways.

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