Share to ClassroomEl Niño Rain Closes Iguazu Falls Paths
On 12 October 2026, a national park in Argentina closed the walkways at Iguazu Falls because of a flood. After very heavy rain, more than 12,000 cubic metres of water were going over the falls every second. In just one day, the river rose by more than two metres. The rain was linked to El Niño, a natural warming of the Pacific Ocean. Families near the Uruguay River also had to leave their homes.
Iguazu Falls is on the border between Argentina and Brazil, and it is the largest group of waterfalls in the world. Its name means 'big water' in a local language. The falls formed where the river runs over hard rock that came from very old lava. Depending on the water level, there are between 150 and 300 waterfalls.
The amount of water can change a lot. Normally, about 1,746 cubic metres go over the falls every second, but in 2014 the record was 45,700. In 2006, a drought (a long time without rain) cut the flow to only 300. The park around the falls protects a forest full of birds, monkeys and coatis. Most of the river's basin, the land that its water comes from, is in Brazil, so rain there is very important.
