A severe drought in the Amazon Basin has caused water levels to plummet by 80% along large sections of the Amazon River, revealing sandbanks and posing a grave threat to the already endangered pink river dolphin. The Colombian port city of Leticia, the capital of the Amazonas department, is one of the most affected areas, with trade routes from neighboring Brazil and Peru severely disrupted by the unprecedented low water levels. In Puerto Nariño, a small town located about 60 kilometers upriver from Leticia, the indigenous leaders of the Tikuna tribe are requesting President Gustavo Petro’s government deliver urgent humanitarian aid.
Colombia’s National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD) responded on Tuesday to the emergency by presenting a contingency plan to the impact of the extended drought gripping Amazonas. The UNGRD’s technical commission confirmed that the Amazon River has experienced an 80% decrease in water coverage and that these dwindling levels are cutting off connections to key bodies of water, including the Tarapoto Lagoons, crucial for both wildlife conservation of the pink river dolphin and the livelihoods of Puerto Nariño’s fishermen.
According to the UNGRD, the drought has disrupted the water supply for approximately 10 riverine indigenous communities home to some 3,000 people. “The first action we are taking is the distribution of motor pumps and hoses to ensure water supply in indigenous territories,” said UNGRD Director Carlos Carrillo. “These communities are isolated, suffering from water shortages and growing food insecurity, which is extremely concerning,” added Carrillo.
The drought is not confined to Colombia alone; various tributaries of the Amazon in Brazil are facing a critical water shortage. On Monday, Brazil’s National Water Agency (ANA) reported that rivers like the Iriri and Xingú, which feed the Belo Monte hydroelectric plant, are at historically low levels. The Belo Monte facility, which generates 11% of the energy for Brazil’s National Integrated System, is now experiencing natural flow rates far below the 2023 average and approaching record lows, according to ANA.
The situation has prompted environmental groups to raise concerns about the long-term effects of climate change on the Amazon Basin. Rising temperatures and unpredictable weather patterns threaten not only indigenous populations but also the region’s biodiversity. As vulnerable communities that depend on fishing and subsistence farming are seeing their resources dwindle, calls are intensifying for more coordinated action from national governments and international aid organizations.
