Amazon River at 40-Year Low

Remote parts of Peru have been left high and dry by a dramatic drop in the Amazon river, dealing a devastating blow to local economies. The river is at its lowest level in at least 40 years in the northeastern part of the country because of a prolonged dry spell, the BBC reports. Several large boats have been stranded near the city of Iquitos, which relies on the river for transportation to the rest of the country. Food and other supplies are being brought in by smaller boats that can navigate the shallow river, doubling the length of journeys that usually take 12 to 15 days.
(More Amazon river stories.)