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Drought Leads to Rapidly Shrinking Amazon River : State of the World from NPR The region drained by the Amazon River, including the Amazon rainforest, is in the second year of a punishing drought. That has led to the lowest water levels in more than 100 years for the Amazon and its major tributaries. Millions of people and an array of wildlife depend on those quickly disappearing waters. We travel to the region to see the effects.

State of the World from NPR

The World's Largest River Is Running Low

The World's Largest River Is Running Low

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The region drained by the Amazon River, including the Amazon rainforest, is in the second year of a punishing drought. That has led to the lowest water levels in more than 100 years for the Amazon and its major tributaries. Millions of people and an array of wildlife depend on those quickly disappearing waters. We travel to the region to see the effects.

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Nossa Senhora do Livramento Community, located in the Manaus region, Amazonas. In this photo, the water level remaining in the canals where it is still possible to navigate is only 40 centimeters. Marizilda Cruppe for NPR hide caption

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Marizilda Cruppe for NPR

Nossa Senhora do Livramento Community, located in the Manaus region, Amazonas. In this photo, the water level remaining in the canals where it is still possible to navigate is only 40 centimeters.

Marizilda Cruppe for NPR