El Niño rains flood Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, displacing thousands

Heavy rains linked to a powerful El Niño climate phenomenon have flooded parts of Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, forcing thousands from their homes. Swollen by tributaries originating in southern Brazil, the Paraná, Uruguay, and Iguazú rivers breached their banks, driving over 2,000 evacuations in Ayolas, Paraguay, and shutting the Devil's Throat walkway at Iguazu Falls. Officials in Uruguay discharged water from the Salto Grande dam as meteorologists project above-average rainfall through December 2026.

Claims

• ▪Provincial officials in Corrientes, Argentina began digging canals and installing drains to prepare for additional anticipated rainfall.
• ▪Swollen rivers linked to heavy El Niño rains flooded parts of Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay on October 16, 2026, forcing thousands of residents from their homes.
• ▪Brazil's national weather service expects above-average rainfall through December 2026 in southern Brazil, where the Paraná, Uruguay, and Iguazú rivers originate.
• ▪Park authorities at Iguazu Falls closed the walkway to the Devil's Throat cascade on the Argentina-Brazil border due to high water levels in the Iguazú River.
• ▪Water releases from the Salto Grande hydroelectric dam flooded downstream urban areas in Uruguay, keeping several dozen people displaced from their homes.
• ▪Ranchers in Corrientes, Argentina guided herds of cattle across flooded pastures to higher ground to prevent livestock from drowning on October 16, 2026.
• ▪The Paraná River rose to 4.7 meters (15.4 feet) on October 15, 2026 in Ituzaingó, Argentina, prompting evacuations across Corrientes province.
• ▪Calves in Corrientes, Argentina struggled against strong flood currents thick with floating river vegetation during livestock relocation efforts.
• ▪The 2026 South American floodwaters originated from three major rivers that start in Brazil and flow south: the Paraná, the Uruguay, and the Iguazú.
• ▪In the border city of Ayolas, Paraguay, more than 2,000 residents evacuated after the Paraná River reached its highest level in over 40 years on October 16, 2026.
• ▪Park authorities reopened several other trails at Iguazu Falls that had previously been closed due to rising floodwaters.
• ▪Forecasters project that the 2026 El Niño natural climate phenomenon could be among the strongest on record, driving severe weather across South America and global climate disruptions.
• ▪Uruguayan officials warned that northwestern Uruguay will experience its heaviest rainfall of the year in the months following October 2026.
• ▪Operators at the Salto Grande hydroelectric dam, shared by Argentina and Uruguay, gradually opened spillway gates to relieve the rising Uruguay River.