Montevideo.-More than 700 people have been displaced from their homes in Uruguay due to the floods affecting the South American country, the National Emergency System reported this Tuesday.
As detailed in a report, at this moment there are 199 evacuees and 564 self-evacuees in different locations in five departments of the national territory.
Of that total, 436 are in the department of Treinta y Tres, 184 in Paysandú, 70 in Cerro Largo, 54 in Salto and 19 in Tacuarembó.
On the other hand, three national routes are closed (one of these in two sections), while 3,200 people are without electricity.
On Sunday, the Uruguayan Institute of Meteorology issued a statement in which it warned the population that between that day and Wednesday there would be “strong and very strong storms, accompanied by occasionally heavy rainfall.”
Likewise, he highlighted that the most important rainfall values were predicted for the center, north and east of the country; and that the accumulated total rainfall during the 3 days was going to be around 80 to 120 millimeters.
This Tuesday, the National Emergency System reported that a town in the department of Durazno recorded accumulated rainfall of 125 millimeters. Meanwhile, four other locations exceeded 100 millimeters.
On the other hand, the Uruguayan Minister of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries, Fernando Mattos, said that the floods in southern Brazil represent a “true drama” of “immeasurable” damage and raise “alert” in his country.
“We are alerted to see that a few kilometers away we have this tremendous drama that Rio Grande do Sul is experiencing, the worst floods in history,” he stated.
In March, Uruguay was also affected by floods that left more than 5,500 people displaced from their homes.
The director of Meteorology and Climate of the Uruguayan Institute of Meteorology (Inumet), Néstor Santayana, warned that “it will rain for two or three months in the next 48 or 72 hours” in several areas of Uruguayan territory, as stated in a Press conference.
“Although the areas with the most severe rainfall will oscillate further north or south, in general the most important accumulations will be in the central and northern strip of the national territory,” he explained.
The floods caused by heavy rains in southern Brazil have already left 96 dead and 1.5 million homeless, on the eve of new storms that will affect the region even more, regional authorities reported this Tuesday.
In addition, the Civil Defense has counted, so far, 131 missing and 362 injured due to the unprecedented rains and floods that mainly affect the state of Rio Grande do Sul.
So far, 401 municipalities have been affected; “practically the entire state,” said Eduardo Leite, governor of Rio Grande do Sul, the region most affected by the rains, in a press conference.
The announcement of new storms starting this Wednesday, and that will be stronger between Friday and Sunday, has the authorities on alert who are already preparing contingency measures.
According to the National Institute of Meteorology (INMET), in the coming days “heavy rains and storms” are expected in the southernmost area of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, throughout the border area with Uruguay, due to the arrival of a front cold.
The governor called on the inhabitants of municipalities that were already affected and that will possibly fall once more in the crosshairs of the rains to remain in the shelters and only return to see what happened to their homes when the authorities confirm complete safety for their homes. lives.
“It is not time to return home or be in the places that were affected,” said the governor, who also warned that the new rainfall will have an impact on several municipalities and the metropolitan area of the capital, Porto Alegre. where landslides are expected.Infobae.
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2024-05-10 22:29:24
