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Deforestation Disrupts Amazon's "Flying Rivers," Threatening Droughts Across South America
30 Sep
Summary
- Deforestation disrupting "flying rivers" that sustain Amazon rainforest
- Droughts, wildfires, and hydroelectric power issues plaguing South America
- Amazon rainforest at risk of shifting to drier savanna if deforestation continues
As of September 2025, scientists are sounding the alarm about the devastating impact of deforestation on the Amazon rainforest. New analysis reveals that relentless tree loss is disrupting the "flying rivers" – invisible atmospheric currents that carry moisture from the Atlantic Ocean across South America, sustaining the world's largest tropical rainforest.
The consequences of this disruption are already being felt across the region. Droughts have withered crops in Peru, fires have scorched the Amazon, and hydroelectric dams in Ecuador have struggled to keep the lights on as rivers dry up. Experts warn that if deforestation continues, it could push the Amazon to a tipping point, transforming the lush rainforest into a drier savanna ecosystem with far fewer trees.
"These are the forces that actually create and sustain the Amazon rainforest," said Matt Finer, a senior researcher with Amazon Conservation. "If you break that pump by cutting down too much forest, the rains stop reaching where they need to go."
Protecting the Amazon's "flying rivers" is crucial, as the rainforest is a vast storehouse for the carbon dioxide that drives global warming. A shift to savanna would devastate wildlife, Indigenous communities, and weather patterns far beyond the region.
