More than 2,000 evacuated as El Niño floods hit Argentina
Flooding in the northeast has killed two people, with authorities warning that rising river levels could continue for months. Leer más
More than 2,000 individuals have been compelled to abandon their residences due to flooding caused by the El Niño climate pattern in northeastern Argentina. Tragically, two lives were lost over the weekend, and the persistent flooding is expected to endure for several months, according to officials. Intense rainfall over recent weeks has led to a dangerous surge in the Iguazú, Paraná, and Uruguay rivers, which traverse Argentina's northeastern frontier with Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay, ultimately emptying into the Río de la Plata.
In Chaco Province, an estimated 1,200 to 1,300 residents have either been evacuated or opted to leave their homes voluntarily, primarily in the towns of Puerto Vilelas and Barranqueras, stated Gustavo Santos, deputy secretary of provincial Civil Protection on Friday. "This situation will persist for about two months, with the river continuously rising and falling," highlighted the official.
In adjacent Corrientes Province, over 1,000 people have been forced to leave their homes, as reported by a Civil Defence count on Wednesday. Floodwaters breached protective embankments in several neighborhoods of Paso de la Patria, a popular tourist destination along the Paraná River. Local resident Juan Pablo Gómez conveyed to AFP that residents are left with no alternative but to endure the flooding.
"Only one day ago, a meter of water inundated my house. The barrier collapsed, and all the water rushed in," Gómez explained, seated on a boat amidst his submerged dwelling.
In certain locales, only the rooftops of structures are visible above the water, while at a football field, the crossbar of a goal represents the highest point. Two rural laborers tragically perished in Corrientes while relocating livestock to safer ground, avoiding the rising waters. Authorities in Corrientes cautioned on Friday that forthcoming rainfall in the upper Paraná and Uruguay river basins could exacerbate the rising water levels next week.
In Misiones Province, torrential storms on Thursday and Friday inflicted damage to more than 100 homes and resulted in the closure of roads and bridges as streams overflowed, according to local media accounts. Although numerous tourist routes have resumed operation, access to the Devil's Throat, the most renowned section of Iguazú Falls, remains barred since August.
El Niño is a climatic occurrence marked by the anomalous warming of surface waters in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, thereby influencing wind and precipitation patterns across diverse regions worldwide.
Written by urgent.news from Buenos Aires Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
