It is not difficult to believe that there are many paradoxical and unusual phenomena on our planet that never cease to amaze everyone with their phenomenality. Among such natural phenomena, there is one more, no less amazing and stunning - the Katatumbo River.
A feature of this river and the area that surrounds it is the frequent occurrence of lightning. This happens in the place where the river flows into one of the largest lakes in Venezuela - Maracaibo, at an altitude of more than 5,000 meters. The lake area is more than 13,000 square meters and is located between two mountain ranges - the Cordillera de Merida and the Sierra de Perija. When lightning starts, the phenomenon does not carry sound effects - that is, there is no thunder, as it usually happens in rainy weather when several clouds collide.
Location and description
The Catatumbo River is located in Venezuela, it starts from the northeastern side of Colombia and flows into Lake Maracaibo, that is, the river is located once across the territories of two states - Colombia and Venezuela. Although it is not considered to be the longest and deepest among the other rivers in South America, it is safe to say that it is the most fantastic and extraordinary.
More than 150 days a year and for half a day, you can observe an amazing picture - hundreds of thousands of electric charges appear in the sky, which can be counted more than 270 in one hour. In this case, lightning both arise and disappear completely silently, only accompanied by the falling water from the waterfall into the lake.
Amazing facts
If we talk about how many lightning occurs here in one year, then this figure is equal to approximately 1,180 electrical charges with a capacity of 400,000 amperes each. An amazing fact is that thanks to this power, lightning is visible at a distance of more than 400 kilometers. Many sailors used this phenomenon in order not to get lost and get home, while they called it Maracaibo Lighthouse.
The legend tells that the Catatombian phenomenon once saved the lives of local residents from the pirate Francis Drake from England, who, around the beginning of 1596, wanted to secretly sneak into the city and conquer it. But fortunately, thanks to the maximum illumination by lightning, all the ships that came up were noticed and people did not allow a terrible disaster.
Cause of silent lightning
The Jupe Indians, who lived in the past centuries of our era, believed that this amazing phenomenon appears when the soul of one of the ancestors collides with a firefly. But in fact, there is a reasonable explanation for this phenomenon, which is nevertheless solved by modern scientists ... The thing is that when warm and humid winds heading from the Caribbean meet, together with the cold winds of the Andes, they collide, which turns into a whirlwind. It starts its counterclockwise rotation and forms the occurrence of thunderstorms. In the lake itself, there are oil deposits, and in the swamps there are various organic substances that emit a lot of methane. He slowly rises to the clouds with the help of the winds.
Further, a huge amount of air currents are able to evenly distribute methane in the clouds, but some of them can stay with a higher concentration. In the middle of clouds, the airspace has many insulating properties that can reduce the activity of electricity, and methane, in turn, can weaken this insulation a little, which subsequently causes lightning.
Notes for tourists
If you are a lover of extreme trips and an observer of the most unusual meteorological phenomena, then you can visit this wonderful place. On the territory near the river there are many houses in which you can settle at the time you need. You can travel along the river by boat, it is best of all, of course, to do this when it is already dark outside, it would be nice to take flashlights with you in order to see many caimans or various types of birds.
You can visit the lake at night during the rainy season.
How to get there
Once you get to Chinita International Airport, which is located 18 km from the city of Maracaibo, you can take any shuttle bus or hire a taxi. In general, there will be no problems with public transport.
You can also get to Maracoibo from Caracas, which is also a large air hub in Venezuela. Travel time will take about 11 hours; from Merodoy - about 9 hours; from San Cristobal - approximately - 5 hours 30 minutes; from Berkisimeto - 5 hours; from Koro - 4 hours 30 minutes; from Valera - no more than 4 hours. In addition, you can get to Maracaibo from Colombia, which, by the way, is the most popular and often demanded route.
The Catatumbo River is simply an amazing phenomenon that will surprise everyone and will not leave indifferent to such natural phenomena as lightning. Watching the flickering light flashes, you will gain a lot of pleasure and will remember this phenomenal sight for a lifetime!
Recommended reading Canaima National Park in Venezuela.
