A sharp decrease in water flow, a consequence of a historic drought, prevents the Iguazú waterfalls from showing themselves in all their glory. They usually have a large flow. This makes it one of the most beautiful landscapes in the world due to its magnificence and height, and you can no longer see it today.
Location and characteristics of the Iguazú waterfalls
They are in a landscape where nature explodes in thousands of different shades of green and are a spectacle worth seeing. In 2011 the Iguazú waterfalls were declared one of the new 7 natural wonders in the world.
You are on the border between Argentina and Brazil on the Iguazú River. On the Argentine side, they are located in the Iguazú Park in the province of Misiones. On the Brazilian side, they are in the state of Paraná.
They currently have a flow of just over 250 cubic meters of water per second, very far from the usual 1500 cubic meters per second. The reason for this sudden drought is the lack of rain in Brazilian territory.
The waterfalls are without visitors and without water
The Iguazú Falls have been closed to the public since the mandatory quarantine was enacted. The same applies to the other main travel destinations in the world. Surprisingly, they ran out of water too.
This hadn't happened in over 15 years. A terrible drought affects the territory of Brazil. As a result, the water does not flow down the tributaries since it is not raining. The direct result is that the waterfalls get no water.
The drought phenomenon affects both the business activity of the area and the flora and fauna. Another factor is added to the problem. Brazil has six dams on its territory that have closed its locks to counter the intense drought. Although this factor is not critical and contributes to drought, it contributes to the lack of water in the falls.
Iguazú Falls today
The waterfalls receive one and a half million visitors every year. You are currently affected by two unusual events. The corona virus reduced the number of visitors to zero. And the drought caused the 275 waterfalls to run out of water.
Experts say water shortages are normal. It is repeated approximately every 15 years. The problem persists for a few more days. Rainfalls in the region are forecast for late May or early June, when the situation is expected to normalize.
Nature always recovers, the drought ends and the Iguazú waterfalls will look great again. The pandemic is unsafe for tourists to return. Not knowing when activities will resume raises a question mark for those who make a living from tourism.
