Lima, Peru – The third largest waterfall in the world, measuring nearly 2,529 feet in height, was recently discovered in Peru near the city of Chachapoyas in the department of Amazonas. The waterfall has never been recorded on any known map of the area and was brought to the attention of the world by Stefan Ziemendorff, a German citizen working on a project with the Potable Amazon Water Company (Emusap). Locals in the department of Amazonas have named the waterfall “Gocta” which is derived from the local indigenous Quechua language.
The discovery was not a complete surprise to everyone in the Amazon region. Locals from small villages near the site of the waterfall kept its existence a secret for fear of ancient legends and myths that told of the presence of a siren and a serpent that ruthlessly guarded the area. The Gocta waterfall’s remote location also played a role in its relatively obscure existence. The only way to reach the site is a five hour trek on a dirt trail from the village of Cocachimba in the district of San Pablo.
