The sound made by the Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe is so loud that it can be heard 40 miles away.
It Falls Into Its Own Category
Victoria Falls, in all its natural glory, must surely rate as one of the Wonders of the Modern World, if you can call something that evolved from a split in the earths crust, likely while it cooled, a modern site.
At almost a mile wide, and 420 high, they rate as one of the largest water falls in the world, and certainly one of the most impressive. Its also unique, in that the water of the Zambezi River, rushes over the falls and into a chasm of rock, so that you can actually stand on the other side, and observe the falls, face-on.
All that water plunging down through basalt gorges, raises an iridescent mist and a noise that can only be called thunderous. The phenomenon of both, can be seen and heard, as much as 25 miles away. In the wet season, 320,000 cu. ft. of water per second, is discharged from the river. But in dry season, those magnificent falls can dry up to a few cascades, with only a vague mist, and very little of the magnificent roar.
A series of gorges below the Falls adds to their allure as a tourist attraction, as does the bridge (one of only four over the Zambezi River) which spans the Boiling Pot, the first gorge. The 650 ft. long and 350 ft. high structure is now a favorite spot for bungee jumping.
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