PARAGUAY · DISASTER
Key Facts
- The country Paraguay, a landlocked South American farm exporter of about 6 million people, shares the giant Itaipú hydropower dam with Brazil.
- What happened The Paraná River flooded low-lying districts of Ciudad del Este, Paraguay’s second city, and was still rising on Wednesday 14 October.
- People displaced About 185 families, more than 700 people, had been evacuated in Ciudad del Este, a busy border trade hub facing Brazil.
- At the border The Tres Fronteras river port, facing Argentina and Brazil near Iguazú Falls, was under water and its ferry to Argentina was suspended.
- The dam The Itaipú dam opened its spillway gates as the river rose and is helping move families out of the flooded San Rafael district.
- Power Index Paraguay ranks 10th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 36.0 points (October 2026 edition).
A Paraguay flood on the Paraná River has driven more than 700 people from their homes in Ciudad del Este, the country’s second city. The water also swamped a river port facing Argentina and Brazil, close to Iguazú Falls.
The Paraguay flood matters abroad because the area is a gateway to the falls, a major draw for foreign tourists, including Americans. It also sits just below Itaipú, one of the world’s largest hydropower dams, which supplies electricity to Brazil and Paraguay.
What Happened in Ciudad del Este
Paraguay’s National Emergency Secretariat (SEN), the government agency that runs disaster relief, said about 185 families had been evacuated in Ciudad del Este. That is more than 700 people, according to the agency’s figures reported by the Asunción daily Última Hora on Wednesday 14 October.
Much of the Paraguay flood damage is in San Rafael, a riverside district where the Acaraymí stream burst its banks. The bridge linking the district’s northern and southern halves is fully under water, so residents now move around in small wooden boats.
Itaipú Binacional, which runs the dam for Brazil and Paraguay, says on its website it has moved over 180 families out of San Rafael. It has also started helping residents of San Agustín, another flooded neighbourhood of the city.
Evacuees were taken to shelters on higher ground or to relatives’ homes, Última Hora reported. The city opened a temporary shelter in the sports hall of its municipal trade school, and residents were urged to call the emergency line 132.
A Border Port Under Water
Downstream, the Tres Fronteras river port in the town of Presidente Franco woke up completely flooded on Wednesday, the Paraguayan daily Hoy reported. The port sits where the Iguazú River meets the Paraná, facing both Argentina and Brazil.
The site housed a post of Paraguay’s immigration directorate and an office of the national ports authority, Hoy said. A Paraguayan Navy detachment at the port was also under water.
The ferry crossing from the port to Puerto Iguazú, the Argentine town closest to the Argentine side of the falls, was suspended. Hoy also reported that the immigration directorate had already closed other river checkpoints along the Paraná.
The same Paraguay flood had already forced evacuations by Monday 12 October, covered in Paraguay Evacuates 60 Families as Paraná River Rises. The river kept rising through Tuesday and Wednesday.
Why the Itaipú Dam Matters
Itaipú, shared with Brazil, and Yacyretá, shared with Argentina, opened their gates to release excess water, Hoy reported. ABC Color, another Asunción daily, said Itaipú opened a second channel of its spillway on Tuesday.
Itaipú, profiled in Itaipú Dam Explained, says it controls the water leaving its reservoir but not the Iguazú River. That river joins the Paraná just below the city.
When the Iguazú surges, it acts like a plug and pushes water back up the Paraná, Itaipú said, according to Última Hora. That is why heavy rain in both basins can suddenly worsen the Paraguay flood, the company added.
The Iguazú was already running far above normal before the latest rise. The closure of a walkway on the Brazilian side is described in Iguaçu Falls Walkway Shuts as Flow Tops 6 Times Normal.
Paulo Zanelli, who coordinates Itaipú’s special flood commission, said the region’s biggest recorded floods came in 1992, 1983 and 2014, ABC Color reported. He added that Foz do Iguaçu in Brazil and Ciudad del Este have faced floods like this before.
Who Is Helping
The government of Alto Paraná department, which includes Ciudad del Este, set up an emergency operations centre with the SEN, Itaipú and the Navy. Volunteer firefighters joined, and trucks and a boat were sent in to move families and their belongings, Última Hora reported.
ABC Color said a joint commission runs Paraguay flood relief in the city, including the army, the Navy, firefighters, the Red Cross and Itaipú. Families are receiving food, tents and tarpaulins, and community soup kitchens are running.
What It Means for You
Travellers planning a trip to Iguazú Falls during the Paraguay flood should expect closed river crossings and flooded streets in parts of Ciudad del Este. The Friendship Bridge links the city with Foz do Iguaçu in Brazil, the usual base for visiting the Brazilian side of the falls.
Check with your airline, tour operator or hotel before you travel, and follow local emergency instructions. Americans abroad can sign up for the US State Department’s STEP alerts to get safety messages from the nearest US embassy.
What Is Not Known
Officials have not said when the Paraguay flood will start to recede or when the Tres Fronteras ferry will reopen. A river forecast cited by ABC Color pointed to slightly higher water on Thursday 15 October.
Officials have not given a full count of damaged homes, schools and roads across the country. It is also unclear how long Itaipú will keep its spillway channels open.
More: Paraguay news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Paraguay flood?
The Paraguay flood has hit Ciudad del Este, Paraguay’s second city on the Paraná River border with Brazil, and nearby towns. Low-lying districts such as San Rafael and the river port of Presidente Franco are under water.
How many people have been evacuated?
Paraguay’s National Emergency Secretariat said about 185 families, more than 700 people, were evacuated in Ciudad del Este. The Itaipú dam company says it has moved more than 180 families out of San Rafael.
Are Iguazú Falls affected?
The Iguazú River, which feeds the falls, has been running very high and pushes water back up the Paraná. The ferry from Paraguay’s Tres Fronteras port to Puerto Iguazú in Argentina was suspended on Wednesday.
What is the Itaipú dam doing?
Itaipú opened its spillway gates to release excess water as the river rose. The company says it controls its own reservoir but cannot control the Iguazú River below the dam.
Sources: Itaipú Binacional (homepage news item on San Rafael relocations), 14 October 2026; Última Hora (SEN evacuation figures, Ciudad del Este), 14 October 2026; ABC Color (Ciudad del Este flood, Itaipú spillway), 14 October 2026; Hoy (Tres Fronteras port flooded), 14 October 2026; Hoy (Itaipú and Yacyretá open gates), 14 October 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief