BRASILIA,BRAZIL (BDCi) – Manaus, the capital of the state of Amazonas, the largest city in the Amazon region and the center of manufacturing, commerce and finances in the Northern region of Brazil is facing record-breaking water levels in local rivers.
The city sits on the banks of the Rio Negro, close to its mouth where it flows into the Amazon River. At that point, the Rio Negro is around 14 kilometers wide.
The really bad news is that the height of the rainy season in the Amazon is in June. This year, with the situation what it is as May begins, there are clear signs that the flooding will indeed reach historic levels.
Manaus is subject to periodic flooding. At this moment, the Rio Negro is at 30 meters, a level considered critical. The Brazilian Geological Service began making alerts at the beginning of April. Already some 20,000 people are in immediate danger, says the mayor, Amazonino Mendes, as he declared the city in a state of emergency over the weekend.
By: Natania Levine
Courtesy: agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br
Photo: destination360.com
30 April 2012
9:05 a.m P.D.T