Severe drought drops water level to historic low on the Paraguay River, a regional lifeline

Associated Press

ASUNCIÓN, Paraguay (AP) — A powerful drought in Brazil’s Pantanal region has led to the lowest water levels on the Paraguay River in more than a century, disrupting commerce on the major waterway, creating hazards for local transport and offering a grim warning for other parts of the world. Paraguay’s Department of Meteorology and Hydrology reported that water levels on the country’s namesake river, a regional economic lifeline, dipped 89 centimeters below the meter’s benchmark at the port of Asunción, the capital, hitting the lowest point in 120 years. The most immediate effect is being felt across landlocked Paraguay, which relies on the river to move 80% of its international commerce.