Amazon basin rivers hit record lows amid severe drought

Water levels in several rivers across the Amazon basin have hit record lows due to an ongoing drought, according to the Brazilian Geological Service (SGB).

On Tuesday, the Madeira River, a key tributary of the Amazon, dropped to just 48 cm in Porto Velho, compared to the typical 3.32 meters for this time of year, official data revealed.

Similarly, the Solimões River reached its lowest recorded level in Tabatinga, near Brazil’s border with Colombia.

Brazil’s natural disaster monitoring agency, Cemaden, has labeled this drought as the “most intense and widespread” it has ever observed.

In 2023, the Amazon basin experienced its worst drought in at least 45 years, which scientists from the World Weather Attribution group determined was significantly worsened by climate change.

The situation was further exacerbated by the El Niño weather pattern, which typically makes the Amazon region warmer and drier.