MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Iguazú Falls closed to visitors as water levels rise above normal

Tickets to visit one of the natural wonders of the world are redeemable over the next 12 months

Due to recent heavy rains on the Brazilian side, the tourist attraction of the Iguazú Falls has been closed to visitors at least until Wednesday pending damage assessments given a water flow 16 times higher than usual, it was reported.

During a technical meeting held Monday, it was determined that the closure will continue for the next 48 hours, including Wednesday, Nov. 1.

Strong storms in southern Brazil affected the footbridges of the three circuits that give access to the viewpoints of the Falls. “The priority is to preserve the safety of all those who come to the destination to enjoy the beauty of nature,” local authorities explained.

If rainfall in the region ceases as projected by Nov. 1 or 2, technical teams will be able to evaluate the infrastructure of all the circuits and produce a report on the impact that this flood may have caused, it was explained.

The border area between Argentina and Brazil has been battered since August by a series of cold fronts that left heavy rainfall and caused flooding, fallen trees and light poles, and overflowing streams in the region.

The National Institute of Meteorology (Inmet) linked the heavy storms to the El Niño phenomenon, which causes a warming of the Pacific Ocean waters and changes rainfall patterns in South America. In addition, rainfall is expected to remain above the historical average in November.

Due to the flooding, the Iguazú Falls turned brown as a result of the dragging of trunks, branches, and trees as 24.2 million liters per second were accumulated when the normal amount is 1.5 million liters.

Iguazu National Park President Claudio Sacramento announced that tickets to visit one of the natural wonders of the world are redeemable over the next 12 months.