Argentine artist reflects Parana River drought in giant murals

Birds fly past a mural painted by Argentine artist Martin Ron about the historical drought that has lowered the level of the country's most important river, the Parana, in San Nicolas, Argentina. Photo: Reuters

In the Argentine city of San Nicolas de los Arroyos, which hugs the banks of the Parana River, two huge murals reflect local worries about a growing environmental issue for the region - the declining levels of the waterway.

The two 40m-high (130-ft) paintings on the sides of buildings in the city center were spurred by the artist's desire to stir debate over the river's decline. Hit by a lack of rainfall upriver in Brazil, this year the Parana reached its lowest level in almost 80 years.