Reuters
Depth of major Amazon tributary in Brazil drops to record low in severe drought
The Solimoes, one of the two largest tributaries of the Amazon River in Brazil, fell to its lowest level ever on Monday in the worst drought on record in the Amazon region, leaving villages on its banks stranded without food, water and transport. At Manacapuru, some 100 km (63 miles) upriver from state capital Manaus where it meets the Rio Negro to form the mighty Amazon, the depth of the Solimoes measured at just 3 m (9.8 feet), according to the Civil Defense agency. With almost another month to go before the rains come to end the dry season, the level of the Solimoes, which flows down from the Andes in Peru, is expected to drop further in coming weeks, deepening the crisis for riverine communities.