Brazil's pandemic-weary Manaus flooded by rising Amazon rivers

MANAUS: Heavy rains in the Amazon rainforest have caused rivers to rise to near record levels, flooding small Brazilian towns and threatening the state capital Manaus with another disaster after it was severely struck by the coronavirus pandemic.

Across the state of Amazonas, more than 400,000 people have been affected by flooding, said the state's Civil Defense service, many of whom were evacuated as water levels climbed. The Rio Negro river was rising by about 3 centimeters (1 inch) a day and on Monday streets in the center of Manaus were already under water, according to city hall.