Iguazu Falls access closed on both sides of border as El Niño rains swell river
Heavy rain linked to El Niño sent the Iguazu River to several times its normal flow. Argentina briefly closed tourist access, and Al Jazeera reports the Devil's Throat walkway on the Brazilian side was dismantled.
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The story, neutrally told
Left · 1Argentine national park officials briefly closed tourist access to Iguazu Falls on Monday 12 October 2026 as a precaution, after the Iguazu River's flow exceeded 12,000 cubic metres per second, more than six times its average rate. The GuardianLC “National park officials took the precautionary measure on Monday when the Iguazu River’s flow exceeded 12,000 cubic metres per second – more than six times its average rate.” Read at The Guardian ↗ Left · 1The Guardian reports that the closure came amid fears the river would burst its banks. The park said the area would reopen to tourists on Tuesday, citing a "gradual decline" in the river's flow. The GuardianLC “amid fears that rapidly rising water levels would cause the river to burst its banks.”“It later said the area would reopen to tourists on Tuesday, citing a “gradual decline” in the river’s flow.” Read at The Guardian ↗ Left · 1José María Hervás, director of the Iguazu national park, said access was closed because "it just keeps raining" and the volume of water released from dams upstream was not falling, according to the Buenos Aires Times as relayed by the Guardian. The GuardianLC “José María Hervás, the director of the Iguazu national park, said access was closed because “it just keeps raining”” Read at The Guardian ↗
Left · 1Al Jazeera reports that the Devil's Throat walkway was dismantled so surging waters, which it says reached nearly eight times the historical average, would not sweep it away. It says heavy rainfall linked to El Niño forced Brazilian authorities to temporarily close the walkway on Sunday. Al JazeeraLC “The Devil’s Throat walkway at Brazil’s Iguazu Falls is dismantled to prevent surging waters, which reached nearly eight times the historical average, from sweeping it away.”“Heavy rainfall linked to El Nino forced Brazilian authorities to temporarily close the walkway on Sunday.” Read at Al Jazeera ↗ Left · 1The falls, which Unesco recognises as one of the world's largest waterfalls, lie on the Argentina–Brazil border and span about 2,700 metres. Argentine officials also closed the park on their side in 2023 and 2024 over flooding from a previous El Niño cycle. The GuardianLC “sits on the border of Argenina and Brazil and spans approximately 2,700 metres.”“In 2023 and 2024, Argentinian officials closed the park on its side of the border over flooding caused by a previous El Niño cycle.” Read at The Guardian ↗ Left · 1The Guardian says meteorologists consider the 2026-2027 El Niño certain to be the biggest ever recorded, and that scientists now also think human-caused global heating is making El Niños more intense. Last month, Argentina's national meteorological service said the country's coastal region had above-average rainfall "similar to that seen during strong El Niño events". The GuardianLC “Meteorologists say the 2026-2027 El Niño, which causes global changes in winds and rainfall as well as erratic weather conditions, is certain to be the biggest ever recorded.”“Last month, Argentina’s coastal region experienced above-average rainfall “similar to that seen during strong El Niño events,” the national meteorological service said.” Read at The Guardian ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left2 outlets
- Framing
- Both left-leaning outlets treat the flooding as an El Niño weather story. The Guardian leads with the Argentine closure and puts it in a climate context; Al Jazeera's short video item leads with the dismantled Brazilian walkway and record water levels.
- Emphasis
- The Guardian stresses the scale of the El Niño and the role of human-caused heating. Al Jazeera stresses the physical threat to the walkway.
- Leaves out or plays down
- The Guardian does not mention the walkway dismantling on the Brazilian side. Al Jazeera does not mention the Argentine closure or reopening.
- Charged language
- “supersized El Niño”“Iconic Iguazu Falls walkway”“record water levels”
- For example
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“Heavy rainfall fuelled by a supersized El Niño weather pattern briefly forced Argentinian authorities to close tourist access” — The Guardian
“Iconic Iguazu Falls walkway dismantled amid record water levels” — Al Jazeera
Centre0 outlets
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Heavy rain linked to El Niño sharply raised water levels at Iguazu Falls.
- Authorities temporarily restricted access to parts of the falls.
Where accounts differ
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How high the water rose
- Left
- The Guardian says the flow exceeded 12,000 cubic metres per second, more than six times the average. Al Jazeera says water reached nearly eight times the historical average. The two may measure different things or different dates.
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Where and when the closure happened
- Left
- The Guardian describes an Argentine park closure on Monday, with reopening on Tuesday. Al Jazeera describes Brazilian authorities closing the Devil's Throat walkway on Sunday and dismantling it.
Iguazu Falls place
Iguazu Falls is the site affected: Argentine park officials closed access as a precaution, and Brazilian authorities are reported to have closed and dismantled the Devil's Throat walkway.
“National park officials took the precautionary measure on Monday” — The Guardian
“forced Brazilian authorities to temporarily close the walkway on Sunday” — Al Jazeera
Argentina place
Argentine park authorities describe the closure as precautionary, blame continued rain and upstream dam releases, and say they will reopen as the flow declines.
“it just keeps raining” — The Guardian
El Niño topic
Coverage presents El Niño as the driver of the heavy rainfall. The Guardian calls the 2026-2027 event certain to be the biggest ever recorded.
“is certain to be the biggest ever recorded” — The Guardian
“Heavy rainfall linked to El Nino” — Al Jazeera
UK and Ireland1 outlet
The Guardian covers the Argentine closure and ties it to the wider El Niño forecast.
“briefly forced Argentinian authorities to close tourist access to the famed Iguazu Falls” — The Guardian
The Guardian
Middle East1 outlet
Al Jazeera focuses on the Brazilian walkway being dismantled.
“Iconic Iguazu Falls walkway dismantled amid record water levels” — Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
Left2 articles
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Argentina temporarily closes Iguazu Falls after El Niño-fuelled surge in water levels
Neutral Straight news report on the Argentine closure, placed in the context of a record El Niño and human-caused heating.
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Iconic Iguazu Falls walkway dismantled amid record water levels
Mixed Brief video-feed item emphasising the dismantled walkway and record water levels on the Brazilian side.
Centre0 articles
No coverage yet.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 13 Oct 04:03 First The GuardianLC Argentina temporarily closes Iguazu Falls after El Niño-fuelled surge in water levels
- 13 Oct 20:40 +16h 37m Al JazeeraLC Iconic Iguazu Falls walkway dismantled amid record water levels
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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