Argentina restricts access to an Andean plain after damage caused by a pickup truck

Authorities in Argentina's San Juan province have decided to keep access to the Pampa del Leoncito restricted until the end of the month following damage caused by a pickup truck. The incident occurred on Saturday night when a 46-year-old physician from Mendoza drove across the white clay plain at the foot of the Andes, despite a traffic ban.

The driver traveled a kilometer and a half before becoming stuck in the mud, eventually abandoning the vehicle and leaving on a motorcycle. The department, made up of saline silts and clays, loses consistency when waterlogged and deforms under vehicle and pedestrian weight. The mayor estimates the deepest ruts could take nearly a century to disappear, though this is based on past damage rather than a technical assessment.

Local officials expressed regret, noting that the damage exceeded that from previous incidents involving quad bikes. The driver provided his address voluntarily and was released, claiming he hadn't seen the signage in the dark and was unaware of the restrictions. No formal charges have been filed yet, and the truck remains under National Gendarmerie custody until water levels drop.

Provincial law allows for fines up to 1.5 million pesos, but the mayor believes the current penalty is too low and plans to seek stronger protections for the area.