The extreme drop of water levels in parts of Brazil’s Amazon due to drought has revealed many ancient submerged relics and rock formations with carvings of human forms which seems to be dated back to some 2,000 years. The Amazon rivers witnessed the lowest water levels in 121 years amid severe drought, boats were stranded at David’s Marina on the Rio Negro, Manuas, Brazil. Scientists are eager to find out what these engravings can reveal about the past history.
Human Forms Engraved In Rocks
Livia Robeiro, an old-time resident of Manaus which is also the largest city of Amazon, has said that she heard about the relics from her friends and wanted to check them out. She was surprised to see the engravings and exclaimed that earlier she thought it was a lie and she had been in Manaus for 27 years and had never seen something like this before.
The visibility of these engravings have delighted scientists and people and also raised many questions. These relics aren’t usually visible as they are covered by the Negro river but in the previous week it recorded the lowest level in the past 121 years.
Livia Robeiro, an administrator also said that watching these old relics are beautiful but also concerned at the same time that whether this river will exist in the next 50 or 100 years or not.
Site Of The Engravings
The rock carvings and engravings have appeared at a site known as Praia das Lajes, which were initially seen during another drought in 2010. However, the former drought was not as severe as this year’s.
Jaime Oliveira of the Brazilian Institute of Historical Heritage has said that these engravings are of great relevance being an archeological site.The rock carvings are visible behind the dense jungle where the low waters of Negro river flow beside. Most of the rock carvings depict human faces, some in rectangular and oval shapes. The carvings show feelings and emotions such as smiles and grim expressions. These old relics might help to understand about the first people who inhabited that place.
The worsening of drought has made these rock carvings visible and when the rivers will be flooded back again, these rock carvings will be submerged and will help to preserve them for long, said Carneiro
Amazon River Falls Lowest Amid Brazil’s Drought
In the past week, Amazon rivers fell to the lowest water levels amid Brazil’s drought which has affected the lives of thousands of people and damaged the jungle’s ecosystem. The drying up of the rivers have left the boats stranded, cutting the food and necessary supply of the nearby villages. The high water temperature has killed over 100 endangered dolphins.
According to a Civil Defence Agency, the drought has already affected the lives of over 4,81,000 people till the previous week. The reduced water level is also affecting the local water supply and its cleanliness which will lead to water-borne diseases, children are suffering from diarrhea, vomiting and fever due to the impure water. Least rain and drought are also raising concerns on possibilities of wildfire.
As some areas are reachable, supplies are transported through canoes, tractors or foot and many Brazilian NGOs are coming forward to provide aid and supplies to the villages.
The Science Ministry of Brazil has said that the onset of El Nino phenomenon is responsible for the drought and extreme weather conditions throughout the globe and the drought is expected to last at least till December.
