Families continued to abandon their homes on Monday (December 28) in the southern cone of South America, which is seeing its worst flooding in decades and has already forced more than 100,000 people to evacuate.
In northern Argentina, some 20,000 people have had to evacuate in what local authorities have called the worst flooding in 50 years.
Aerial views showed large swamped areas in the Argentine city of Concordia, in the Entre Rios province.
This unidentified resident, said the water rose quickly.
“The water rose so suddenly that it flooded the door and we had to get everything up on the fence. We cut through the gate to get everything out,” he said.
Residents were seen paddling on boats through flooded streets to rescue their belongings.
Another unidentified resident said her house was ruined.
“The house is underwater unfortunately. When we left, you could barely see the ceiling,” she said.
This year’s “El Nino,” which sparks global climate extremes, is the worst in more than 15 years, the U.N. weather agency, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), said last month.
The government has said aid is its way. In a news conference held at La Casa Rosada Presidential Palace on Monday, the Vice President, the Cabinet Chief, the Security Minister and Interior Ministry announced they had also launched the Federal Emergency System, according to a news released published on the website of the country’s Security Ministry.
The system helps to coordinate national and regional organizations involved in emergency measures.
Security Minister, Patricia Bullrich, assured those affected the government was there to support them.
“Our goal now is to be close to the people who are suffering, stand beside those who have been flooded and not be there just for today. All of us are together on this until in the day the water goes down,” Bullrich said.
The country’s new president, Mauricio Macri, who took office earlier this month, intended to make improving infrastructure a priority so that such flooding did not occur again.
In Uruguay, the number of evacuees was 11,300, Fernando Traversa, the head of the national Emergencies Office said on Sunday. He said the situation was improving.
In southern Brazil, flooding has forced 1,801 families to leave their homes, Rio Grande do Sul state Civil Defense said in its latest update late on Saturday.
And around 90,000 people have already left their homes in Asuncion. In Alberdi, about 120 km (75 miles) further south, authorities have called for 7,000 more people to evacuate because of cracks detected in the town’s levee.
Source: Reuters
