Uruguay Begins Flood Evacuations as River Nears 12 m
Salto had moved its first families to a shelter by 10 October as the Uruguay River neared 12 metres. Paysandú is also moving families as the dam releases water. The post Uruguay Begins Flood Evacuations as River Nears 12 m appeared first on The Rio Times .
On Saturday 10 October, the Uruguay River near the Uruguayan city of Salto reached 12 metres, prompting the evacuation of three families to a shelter. The river is forecasted to pass 13 metres, which could force the evacuation of up to 300-400 people within the next few days. The Salto Grande dam, run jointly by Argentina and Uruguay, is releasing 18,000 to 19,000 cubic metres of water per second, with expected releases until 3 p.m. on Sunday 11 October.
Authorities in Salto warn the river could exceed 13 metres in the coming days, a critical level that could lead to mass evacuations. The first families were moved to the Salto Uruguay sports club, which has been converted into an emergency shelter. The river's path crosses the border with Argentina, and several roads near the river are closed.
The city of Paysandú also began moving its first families, with the river already above 6 metres and rising at a rate of about one centimetre per hour. Local officials advise residents to call the 911 emergency line if they need help or notice a risk.
Written by urgent.news from The Rio Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
