The Amazon basin is suffering from an extreme drought. In October, the Rio Negro river fell to a historic low. The impact on people, wildlife and the rainforest is devastating and an urgent warning of the consequences of global warming. The Rio Negro is actually the sixth largest river in the world in terms of flow. But in October it carried less water than at any time since records began in the early 20th century. The consequences: the shutdown and loss of electricity production at Brazil's fourth largest hydroelectric plant, the Santo Antonio Dam, with an installed capacity of 3.5 gigawatts. In Manaus, boats can no longer transport food and other goods to the capital of Amazonas state, which has a population of more than two million. Many small towns in the region are also difficult to reach, as rivers in the dense rainforest are the most important transport route. (Laura Kranich)