Iguazu Falls shut as El Niño-driven floods swell river
Argentine park officials briefly barred tourists from Iguazu Falls after heavy rain pushed the Iguazu River to more than six times its usual flow. The site reopened on Tuesday as water levels began to fall. Meteorologists expect the 2026-27 El Niño to be the strongest on record, and scientists believe human-caused warming is making such events more severe.
The falls lie on the Argentina-Brazil border and are listed by Unesco as among the world’s largest waterfalls, stretching roughly 2,700 metres. Park authorities on the Argentine side also closed access during flooding linked to an earlier El Niño in 2023 and 2024.
El Niño forms in the equatorial Pacific when shifting winds let ocean heat enter the atmosphere. It strengthens during the northern autumn, peaks in December, and can affect weather into the next year. Forecasters expect the 2026-27 event to set records, while scientists suspect human-driven warming is making El Niño stronger.
The brief closure may have disrupted travel plans and reduced income for hotels, guides, transport operators, and other businesses that depend on visitors to the falls. Local communities could also face safety and infrastructure concerns when rivers rise quickly. If strong El Niño events become more frequent or severe, tourism in the region may become less predictable, and authorities could need more frequent precautionary closures, affecting livelihoods tied to the park.