Agua Azul, series of waterfalls and pools on the Xanil River in Chiapas state, S Mexico, SW of Palenque in the Cascadas de Agua Azul Natural Park. The waters of the Agua Azul are noted for their brilliant turquoise color, resulting from dissolved minerals acquired as the river flows through limestone; the color is most pronounced during the dry season. Some of the cataracts drop as much as 20 ft (6 m). A 2017 earthquake in Chiapas diverted the Xanil's waters and weakened the flow over the falls, which was restored by redirecting the river to its original course.
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