On Monday, 12 October 2026, the Argentine authorities temporarily closed access to Iguazu Falls in the national park in the province of Misiones. The reason was a sharp rise in the water level of the Iguazu River caused by intense rains associated with the El Niño phenomenon.
According to the park administration, the water flow exceeded 12 thousand cubic meters per second — more than six times above the average level. The river level at Puerto Iguazu rose by more than two meters in a day and reached 24,30 meters, continuing to rise. The alert level is 25 meters, and the evacuation level is 28 meters.
Park director José María Hervás called the closure a preventive measure: “the rain simply does not stop,” and the volume of water released by dams upstream is not decreasing. Access to tourist routes, including the Upper and Lower circuits, was suspended, and ticket sales were cancelled.
By Monday evening, the park reported a gradual decrease in water flow. Access for visitors was restored as early as Tuesday, 13 October.
The situation also affected neighboring rivers: warnings about rising levels were issued for the Paraná and Uruguay rivers. In some areas, evacuations of residents were recorded.
Iguazu is a UNESCO site on the border of Argentina and Brazil, with a length of about 2700 meters. Similar closures have already occurred in 2023–2024 during the previous El Niño cycle, when the walkways in the Garganta del Diablo sector were damaged.
In August 2026, the authorities dismantled part of the structures in advance in anticipation of a possible strong event. How often will such natural cycles affect the operation of the popular park in the coming years?
The park administration and the concessionaire continue to monitor the infrastructure and possible damage. Temporary restrictions are being introduced for the safety of visitors and staff.
