El Niño Rains Cause Widespread Flooding Across South America

Rivers swollen by heavy rains attributed to El Niño are causing extensive flooding across Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate and prompting ranchers to move cattle to higher ground. In Argentina's Corrientes province, the Paraná River reached a critical level of 4.7 meters (15.4 feet) in the town of Ituzaingó, leading to evacuations and efforts by provincial officials to construct canals and install drains in anticipation of further rainfall.

The floodwaters originate from the Paraná, Uruguay, and Iguazú rivers, which begin in Brazil and flow southward through the region. Consistent torrential rain has caused these waterways to breach their banks in northeastern Argentina, southern Paraguay, and western Uruguay.

This region commonly experiences significant rainfall during El Niño, a natural climate phenomenon characterized by warmer-than-average Pacific Ocean waters that alter global weather patterns. Current forecasts suggest this El Niño could be one of the most severe on record, with impacts already observed across South America and beyond, including an unusually active hurricane season off Mexico's Pacific coast and the threat of severe drought in Southeast Asia.

Paraguay has reported the largest number of flood-related evacuations, with over 2,000 people fleeing their homes in the border city of Ayolas, where the Paraná River has reached its highest level in over four decades. Authorities anticipate further rises.

Iguazu Falls, a major tourist attraction on the border of Argentina and Brazil, has also been affected. Park officials have closed the walkway to the Devil's Throat, the most prominent cascade, due to the high water levels of the Iguazú River, though other recently closed trails have since reopened.

In Uruguay, the Salto Grande hydroelectric dam, shared with Argentina, has been releasing water to manage the rising Uruguay River, which has led to flooding in downstream cities and displaced dozens of people. Uruguayan officials have warned of the heaviest rainfall of the year expected in the country's northwest in the coming months. The national weather service predicts above-average rainfall through December in southern Brazil, the origin of the Paraná, Uruguay, and Iguazú rivers.