After running aground last month in Rio Negro river, a barge transporting three vehicles and 2,000 empty culinary gas cylinders is still stuck in spot, highlighting the plight of river transport in the Amazon region, which is experiencing a severe drought.
As Reuters explains, the Amazon region is under pressure from the El Nino weather phenomenon, with the volume of rainfall in the northern Amazon below the historical average and river levels falling near record levels.
As a result of the drought and dropping water levels, the shipment of goods in the area is becoming increasingly difficult, causing a headache to local communities, the Brazilian government, as well as companies that facilitate the movement of goods, such as shipping companies.
The Amazon is unfortunately not the only area that is starting to dry up. The El Nino phenomenon has also caused serious problems to the operation of the crucial global waterway that is the Panama Canal.
Meanwhile, Mississippi also faces dropping water levels, causing concern to the people that use it to move goods throughout the United States.
