World · Malaysia Bureau
Argentina temporarily shuts Iguazu Falls amid extreme water surge
Authorities in Argentina closed the iconic Iguazu Falls to visitors after the river's flow surged to unprecedented levels due to El Niño weather patterns. The waterway's discharge exceeded 12,000 cubic metres per second, more than six times its typical rate.
LSN Malaysia ·
Argentine officials made the decision to temporarily close access to Iguazu Falls, one of South America's most visited natural attractions, after the Iguazu River's flow reached dangerous levels. The surge in water volume was attributed to the effects of El Niño, the periodic weather phenomenon characterized by warmer-than-average ocean temperatures that trigger significant rainfall across parts of South America.
Data showed the river's discharge exceeded 12,000 cubic metres per second, representing more than six times the waterway's average flow rate. Such extreme conditions posed safety risks to visitors at the Brazilian and Argentine sides of the falls, prompting authorities to implement the precautionary closure.
The temporary shutdown of one of the region's most prominent tourist destinations underscores the intensifying weather impacts from El Niño, which has brought unusually heavy rainfall to parts of South America in recent months. The closure remained in effect until water levels stabilized to safer conditions.
Iguazu Falls, straddling the border between Argentina and Brazil, attracts hundreds of thousands of international visitors annually. The falls are recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and remain among the most spectacular natural wonders in the Southern Hemisphere.