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Brazil's Amazon drought interrupts homeowners' lives

Extreme droughts across Brazil's Amazon rain forest area are dramatically changing locals' lives as movement is hampered by recordlow levels on upper stretches of the Amazon River.

In the town of Manacapuru, near state capital Manaus, the dry spell has affected navigation on the Solimoes River, which become the Amazon River just downstream and is a crucial lifeline for transporting all type of goods in and out of the town.

Boats stranded on sandbanks have actually become a common sight, preventing the transportation of regional products such as fish, bananas, and cassava, along with interfering with the logistics for bringing in basic products like food and water from outdoors.

We anchored the boat here, and it was stuck on dry land the next day. We had no chance to move it, said fisherman Josue Oliveira.

Calling the situation important, fisherman Francisco da Silva noted that the water has currently begun to turn green, a sign it may quickly end up being risky to consume.

We'll need to drink it anyhow, he said, including that getting products from other areas will no longer be possible with the river drying up. Absolutely nothing will make it through.

According to the National Center for Tracking and Early Warning of Natural Disasters (Cemaden), the existing drought is the most intense and prevalent Brazil has actually experienced considering that records began in 1950.

A weak rainy season in the north-central area has made the situation worse with rising atmospheric temperatures, and land-use changes that have changed forest areas with pastures.

On Sunday, Brazil's Supreme Court licensed lifting spending limitations on wildfires and drought in the Amazon and Pantanal areas, as the nation faces the economic impacts of the climate events.

(source: Reuters)