Victoria Falls shrink to a trickle, feeding climate change fears

For decades, stunning views from the Victoria Falls on the edge of southern Africa's Zambezi river have drawn millions of holidaymakers to Zimbabwe and Zambia.

But now the worst drought in a century has slowed the waterfalls to a trickle, fueling fears that climate change could kill one of the region's biggest tourist attractions.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) TOURIST MARKET VENDOR, DAVID SAMALAMBO, SAYING:

"The dry season is normal for every season to be dry like that but this season it started as early as June. So, this is one of I would say, it's the longest dry season we've ever had here at the Victoria Falls."

Data from the Zambezi River Authority shows water flow at its lowest since 1995, and well under the long term average.

Scientists are cautious about categorically blaming climate change, as there is always seasonal variation in levels.

More immediately, locals are hoping the falls start to flow again soon, as they rely heavily on tourist trade passing through.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) TOURIST MARKET VENDOR, DAVID SAMALAMBO, SAYING:

"The business not being as good as it used to be. So we just hope that this season we are going to have good rains and then we are going to have a lot of people here at the Victoria Falls."

The drought has also caused power cuts across Zimbabwe and Zambia, as they are heavily reliant on hydropower from plants at the Kariba Dam which is upstream of the waterfalls.

Stretches of this kilometer-long natural wonder are currently nothing but dry stone, and water flow is dramatically low in others.

As world leaders gather in Madrid for the United Nation's COP25 climate change summit, southern Africa is already suffering some of its worst effects.

With taps running dry, some 45 million people are in need of food aid amid widespread crop failures.