Victoria Falls runs dry: See how the worst drought in a century is hitting the tourist attraction

Victoria Falls runs dry: See how the worst drought in a century is hitting the tourist attraction
By Natalia Liubchenkova
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These are the photos that show Victoria Falls before and during the drought currently hitting the region.

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These are the pictures that starkly show the worst drought in a century at Victoria Falls.

The falls, where the Zambezi River cascades 100 metres into a gash in the earth, have drawn millions of holidaymakers to Zimbabwe and Zambia for their stunning views.

Water normally slows during the dry season but officials say they have reached unprecedented levels this year.

You can compare for yourself, below.

Drag the slider across the image to contrast pictures taken in January 2019, on the left, with, on the right, December 2019.

If you are having trouble viewing the image, click here.

The stretches of the kilometre-long natural attraction are nothing but dry stone now. Locals from the tourism industry say that potential guests are less attracted to see Victoria Falls, as they see the photographs online with waterfalls disappearing.

The problem in the region is however much more complex than the change of scenery. Taps are running dry - some 45 million people in need of food aid amid crop failures. Zimbabwe and Zambia have suffered power cuts as they reliant on hydropower from plants upstream of the waterfalls.

Some scientists agree that Southern Africa is suffering from some of the worst effects of global warming caused by the human-driven greenhouse. Others argue that the longer observation time is needed to blame climate change, as droughts have always occurred.

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