Thursday, September 30, 2010

World's Highest Waterfall


Physical Descripition Information:
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English
Metric
Total Height:
3212 feet
979 meters
Tallest Single Drop:
2648 feet
807 meters
Number of Drops:
2
Waterfall Type:
Plunge, Cascades
Average Width:
350 feet
107 meters
Average Volume:


Maximum Recorded Volume:


Watercourse:
Rio Gauja
Seasonality:
Perennial
Seasons of Best Flow:
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Location, Directions & Maps:
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Continent:
South America
Country:
Venezuela
State / Province:
Bolivar
Locality:
Canaima National Park
Specific Location:
Auyan Tepui
Latitude / Longitude:

Related Maps:
No Maps Available
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Directions:
Unavailable
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Detailed Information:
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Angel Falls is the tallest waterfall in the world, as well as the tallest single drop in the world. The falls consist of a 2648 foot plunge, where the water comes out of the face of Auyan Tepui, then it cascades down steep talus before dropping over another 100 foot cascade. No one seems to know what the stream the falls occur on is called. For the longest time, there have been references to Angel Falls being known in Pemon (the local language) as Churún Merú, and the falls subsequently being on Rio Churún. However, the real Pemon name of the falls is Kerepakupai Merú, which means "fall from the deepest place". To further clear this issue, Churún Merú is a totally different waterfall of about half the height of Angel Falls, located further up the large canyon bysecting Auyan Tepui. The top of the Tepui from which the falls drop is heavily fractured and jointed sandstone. The waters above the falls drop into a series of cracks, crevices, and gorges and burst out of the cliff face about 50 feet below the brink. The waterfall segments in periods of highest water. We've seen photos that show the falls split into 3 major portions, creating a veil of water on the order of 600' in width. Pilot Jimmy Angel is widely credited for discovering the falls in 1937, but the true discoverer was one Ernesto de Santa Cruz, who found the falls in 1910. The falls were subsequently named for Jimmy Angel, since he was the first westerner to view the falls.
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Related Pictures and Links:
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http://community.webshots.com/photo/11306039/11305776TxCgNnQExy

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