THE AMAZON rainforest, often referred to as the “lungs of the earth” is reaching its breaking point. The Rio Negro, one of the planet’s largest rivers and a major tributary of the Amazon, is experiencing the most severe drought of the century, leaving vast sections of the waterway strikingly dry. This is wreaking havoc on local communities and wildlife within the region, which are suffering through the tremendous aftermath of the record low water levels in major Amazon tributaries and water sources. The immediate victims include more than half a million people in Brazil’s Amazonian state and its unique biome, presenting a humanitarian and climate emergency[1]. The Amazon is facing one of the deadliest climate consequences of Earth’s rising temperature. 

Environmental origins and impacts of the drought 

   This relentless drought has, in the past, been caused by a disastrous combination of El Niño, deforestation, and wildfires. The El Niño is a phenomenon occurring from the Pacific Ocean, wherein a band of water develops off the coast of South America and transitions from a neutral temperature to exceptionally cold or warm. This phenomenon has long worried scientists for its potential to cause drought in the Amazon; El Niño widely transforms atmospheric circulation, sending relatively dry air to the South American landmass and thereby reducing the amount of rainfall in the region[2]. Scientists also emphasize that while extreme drought is provoked by El Niño, deforestation over the years has accelerated the Amazon’s vulnerability to drought. Moreover, wildfires caused by slash-and-burn practices favored by cattle ranchers and soybean producers are pushing the Amazon beyond what it is capable of withstanding. Ane Alencar, Director of Science at the Amazonian Environmental Research Institute, remarked that “the smoke from the fires affects the rain in several ways. When you cut down native forest, you’re removing trees that release water vapor into the atmosphere, directly reducing rainfall[3].” These effects have collectively triggered an even longer hot, dry season in the Amazon and, with massive tree die-offs, this region is now suffering from a relentless drought that is imposing devastating effects on the ecosystem.

   The consequences of the drought have been distinctly clear in the loss of the Amazon’s biodiversity. Thousands of fish have died, their carcasses now contaminating drinking water, while at least 125 river dolphins have died in the Amazon in recent weeks due to a combination of drought and unusually warm water temperatures[4]. A significant portion of the dead are pink river dolphins, an endangered species found only in the rivers of South America. Researchers have speculated that the dolphins’ deaths occured as increased water temperatures make the dolphins disoriented and swim in circles in a way that causes suffocation and death[5]. 

   In fact, the water temperature is extremely high, currently at a level that has exceeded prior projections. Recently, the lake temperature reached about 39 degrees Celsius, which is 9 degrees higher than the seasonal average. This abnormally high temperature consequently exerts extreme distress upon freshwater animals, as demonstrated by the numerous dead dolphins. Yet, this only seems to be the beginning of the Amazon’s drought crisis. According to Marilia Guedes, a meteorologist at Brazil’s National Institute of Space Research, the end of October is usually the start of the rainy season in the Amazon, but this relief will be slow to arrive this year. The “forecast is for rains to remain well below what would normally be expected until the start of 2024,” an ominous indication that what the Amazon is experiencing now may only be the beginning of the consequences of the global climate crisis[6]. 

Attack on the Amazon’s crucial lifeline 

   The greatest victim of the drought is the Amazon’s local community. As temperatures climb and rivers vanish, the livelihoods of indigenous people across the central and western Amazon state have become completely devastated. The drought entirely destructs every aspect of indigenous life that relies heavily on the waterways; Amazonian communities depend on the river for transportation and thus the severely low river levels are disrupting the transportation of vital goods, preventing numerous communities from accessing food, water, and even emergency medical aid from the regional health department. This challenge explicitly displays that the Amazon drought is no longer only a climate crisis but a humanitarian crisis.

   Now, locals are required to walk hundreds of meters across sandy and muddy terrain or cross shallow remnants of the river using a traditional canoe to reach their destination. This mode of transportation makes it impossible for large vessels carrying supplies to cross and even small motorboats risk running aground in the shallow waters. With such obstacles, the local population is struggling to make their living through economic activities such as fishing, tourism, and the sale of agricultural produce. In fact, the locals, like those living in Santa Helena do Ingles, even lack access to the most basic necessities such as clean water, food supplies, and healthcare and medication. This illustrates how the drought did not merely cause a  disastrous transportation issue but a humanitarian crisis.

Blight on the Local Economy 

   The drying rivers are also devastating the local economy. In October, vessels transporting corn bound for China and other nations had to halve their cargoes as the river’s water levels were too low. Moreover, the erosion of a riverbed caused Porto Novo, a port in Itacoatiara, to collapse. On another occasion, the lack of rain forced a power plant by the Madeira River to shut down as it could no longer be fueled by the river’s currents, which affect energy transmission in the region. However, the local economy faced even greater financial damage due to the collapse of the Amazonian tourism industry. The tourism shutdown cost the communities an estimated $4 million in lost revenue, rendering the people entirely dependent on the government’s monetary assistance for their living[7]. 

   To address the financial frustrations, the Brazilian government is organizing a task force to deliver emergency aid to residents in the Amazon region affected by the drought. The government has also allocated a budget valued at $27 million for the dredging of the Madeira and Solimoes rivers, which will be used to increase the depth of waterways and make navigation and resource transportation easier[8]. However, the completion of this project might extend up to 45 days, according to Brazil's Vice-President Geraldo Alckmin, which does not resolve the immediate health and resource needs of local communities[8]. 

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   The unprecedented severity of the drought in the Amazon has disrupted the Earth’s center of biodiversity. This calamity meant the complete devastation of homes of numerous indigenous communities deeply connected to and dependent upon their environment. Although the Brazilian government is responding with emergency aid packages, the severe drought and its repercussions are stark reminders that extreme forms of climate change, previously thought to only be felt in future scenarios, are a present reality.

[1] The Financial Times

[2] Wired

[3] The Rainforest Foundation 

[4] Smithsonian

[5] Semafor

[6] The Guardian

[7] The New York Times

[8] Phys.org