Victoria Falls Dries Up

A severe drought is currently affecting Victoria Falls, located on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. Fluctuations in the volume of water flowing over the falls are a normal occurrence, as the waterfall is fed by rivers that drain during the dry season. However, Victoria Falls has not experienced this level of drying in the past 25 years.

As a result, the waterfall, which typically sees water discharge levels ranging from 1,400 to 14,000 cubic meters per second, has now diminished by half. This has raised numerous concerns as the economies of the bordering countries rely heavily on the 'health' of the falls. Tourism, hydropower production, and agriculture are all closely linked to the water levels.

Local residents now require food assistance, and the tropical forests on both banks of Victoria Falls, along with other fragile ecosystems, are also suffering from the lack of water. Under normal conditions, the rainy season begins in October and lasts until February. While rainfall is expected, meteorologists are not making optimistic forecasts. Recent observations indicate that the drought periods are becoming increasingly prolonged.