Residents of a small community of houseboats in the Brazilian Amazon basin remain isolated as the river that provides their only means of communicating with other towns has dried up in the worst drought in the last 40 years, near the city of Manaquiri, Amazonas State, October 9, 2005. REUTERS / RICKEY ROGERSLima (AFP) Sept 1, 2010 – The Amazon, the world’s biggest river, is at its lowest level in over 40 years near its source in northeastern Peru, causing havoc in a region where it is used as the only form of travel, authorities said.

According to officials in Loreto province, the Amazon on Tuesday in the northeast city of Iquitos fell to 105.97 meters (347.67 feet) above sea level, 50 cm (1.6 feet) lower than it was in 2005, so far the lowest reference point in four decades. Low levels have brought economic havoc in areas of Peru that depend on the Amazon for shipping, by denying boats a navigable river as well as usable ports and harbors. At least six boats became stranded for lack of river flow over the last three weeks and several shipping companies have been forced to suspend service, said regional civil defense chief Roberto Falcon. River trips between Iquitos and other Amazon towns that normally take around 12-15 days now last twice as long, officials said. According to the national meteorological service, the level drop — which is forecast to slide another 20 cm (0.6 feet) until mid-September — has been caused by a lack of rain and high temperatures in the region. …

Amazon at lowest level in over 40 years in Peru: experts