Amazon rivers falling faster as El Niño intensifies

El Niño-driven warming of the Pacific Ocean is causing Amazon River water levels to fall faster than normal across Peru and Brazil, threatening to isolate hundreds of riverside communities and disrupt transportation weeks ahead of the typical dry season. Peru's meteorological service reported Thursday that water in major Amazonian rivers in Loreto region is declining several centimeters daily and will continue falling until mid-September, well below historical averages. Brazil's waterway agency said shipping surcharges to Manaus are expected, potentially raising prices for essential goods, though conditions do not yet indicate a repeat of the historic 2023-2024 droughts.