A severe storm in Bahia Blanca, Argentina, has killed at least 10 people and led to over 1,000 evacuations. Official Carlos Bianco highlights the urgent need for city reconstruction. Emergency aid has been authorized, while power outages and looting follow the storm’s unprecedented rainfall. Efforts are underway to restore services and ensure the safety of residents.
On Saturday, a high-ranking official from Buenos Aires province declared, “We have to rebuild a city,” following the aftermath of severe storms and flooding in Bahia Blanca that resulted in at least ten fatalities. The adverse weather led to the evacuation of over 1,000 residents from their homes, with two young sisters, aged four and one, reported missing.
Carlos Bianco, the Buenos Aires government minister, stated on a local radio station that both national and provincial administrations are actively working together in response to the devastating storm. He emphasized the urgent need for comprehensive reconstruction, noting, “There are people who lost everything.”
According to the mayor’s office in Bahia Blanca, the death toll currently stands at ten, with five deaths linked directly to flooded roadways. With a population of 350,000, there is a concern that this number could increase. The latest reports indicate that 1,128 individuals have been evacuated.
The rainstorm began on Friday morning and was described as “unprecedented,” bringing over 15 inches (400 millimeters) of rain within just eight hours, as remarked by province security minister Javier Alonso. Local media depicted scenes of devastated businesses and incidents of looting during the night.
In response to the crisis, the government has greenlit emergency reconstruction funding amounting to 10 billion pesos (approximately $9.2 million). Additionally, the storm caused widespread power outages in coastal areas, although local utilities began restoring power to roughly 30,000 residents by Saturday morning. Previously, Bahia Blanca had experienced significant weather-related challenges, including a storm last December that resulted in 13 casualties.
Even the coastal resort town of Mar del Plata took precautions by canceling evening events and advising residents to stay indoors. While the storm affected Buenos Aires city, it did not cause significant damage there.
The severe storm in Bahia Blanca has resulted in tragic loss of life and widespread destruction, prompting officials to declare a need for immediate reconstruction efforts. Collaborative government action is underway to aid the affected populations while local utilities work to restore services. With past weather-related disasters in the region, the impact of this storm further underscores the vulnerability of coastal cities to such natural events.
Original Source: www.france24.com
