Cracked earth and a seeming desert dominate the landscape where the waters of the drought-stricken Solimoes River once flowed. Historically low water levels have forced residents to walk for miles along the riverbed. "The biggest challenge is transportation. It's a long way to bring the goods, the food and the water for us to drink," says one resident as he carries a heavy load of bananas from his town of Manacapuru across the dried-up river in the Brazilian Amazon. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES