Argentina temporarily closes access to Iguazu Falls — The Guardian

Argentina has temporarily closed tourist access to Iguazu Falls due to heavy rainfall and a sharp increase in the water flow of the Iguazu River. The national park administration made the decision on Monday, when the river's discharge exceeded 12,000 cubic metres per second — more than six times the average level.

Sharp increase in water flow

The restrictions were introduced over concerns that the river could overflow its banks. Iguazu National Park director José María Hervás explained that the rain had not stopped and that the volume of water released by dams upstream had not decreased.

Later, the park administration said it planned to reopen the area to visitors on Tuesday, as the water flow had begun to gradually decline. The Guardian reports.

More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.

Impact of El Niño

According to the publication, the intense rainfall is linked to the large-scale El Niño weather phenomenon. Last month, above-average rainfall was already recorded on Argentina's coast. The country's National Meteorological Service compared these conditions to strong El Niño episodes.

Iguazu Falls are located on the border between Argentina and Brazil and stretch for approximately 2.7 kilometres. UNESCO recognizes them as among the world's largest and most impressive waterfalls. The Argentine side of the park was also closed due to flooding during the previous El Niño cycle in 2023 and 2024.