Authorities in Argentina shut down public access to Iguazu Falls on Monday due to dangerous water conditions resulting from intense rainfall associated with an active El Niño weather pattern. The Iguazu River’s flow exceeded 12,000 cubic metres per second, more than six times its typical discharge rate, prompting officials to implement the closure as a precautionary measure amid concerns about potential flooding and riverbank overflow. Park director José María Hervás attributed the surge to continued heavy precipitation and sustained releases from upstream dams along the Iguazu River.
The facility was scheduled to reopen to visitors on Tuesday following reports of a gradual decrease in water flow. The Iguazu Falls, a UNESCO-recognized natural wonder spanning approximately 2,700 metres along the Argentina-Brazil border, has experienced repeated closure periods during recent weather cycles. Similar flooding-related shutdowns occurred in 2023 and 2024 during a previous El Niño cycle that affected the region.
Meteorologists characterize the 2026-2027 El Niño event as positioned to become the strongest on record. The weather pattern, which originates in the equatorial Pacific through changes in wind systems, typically reaches peak intensity in December and continues to produce atmospheric and precipitation effects into subsequent months. Scientific research increasingly suggests that human-caused climate warming may be amplifying the intensity of El Niño phenomena. Argentina’s national meteorological service noted that the country’s coastal areas received above-average rainfall levels in the preceding month, consistent with precipitation patterns observed during strong El Niño episodes.
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