Mongabay: Near-record flooding has displaced thousands of people in the Brazilian Amazon, reports the Associated Press. Water levels at a measuring station on the Rio Negro in Manaus, the Amazon’s largest city, stood just 74 centimeters (29 inches) below a record set in 1953. The flooding comes just five years after a severe drought that stranded river boats, isolated communities, and contributed to massive forest fires. Drought is currently affecting southern Brazil, reducing hydroelectric …