Bahia Blanca experienced severe flooding due to unprecedented rain, causing at least 10 fatalities and prompting over 1,000 evacuations. Authorities reported missing individuals and initiated emergency aid measures. Local restoration efforts are critical as power is gradually being restored and reconstruction funding is allocated.
After torrential rains and flooding in Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires province, at least 10 lives have been lost, as confirmed by local authorities. Over 1,000 residents were evacuated from their homes, and local reports indicate that two young sisters, aged four and one, remain missing. Carlos Bianco, the Buenos Aires government minister, emphasized the need for significant recovery efforts, stating, “Basically, we have to rebuild a city. There are people who lost everything.”
The Bahia Blanca mayor’s office reported that five of the deceased died in flooded roadways. The numbers of evacuees reached 1,128 by early Saturday morning, with the death toll potentially increasing in the city of 350,000. The unprecedented rain event brought over 15 inches (400 millimeters) in just eight hours, according to Javier Alonso, the province’s security minister.
Images from local media display flooded businesses, and reports mention incidents of overnight looting. To address the disaster, the government has allocated emergency reconstruction aid totaling 10 billion pesos (approximately $9.2 million). Although power was disrupted across much of the coastal area, local utilities managed to restore electricity to about 30,000 customers by Saturday morning.
Bahia Blanca has previously endured severe weather events, including a fatal storm last December. In nearby Mar del Plata, officials suspended evening activities and advised residents to remain indoors due to the ongoing storm. While Buenos Aires city was affected by the storm, significant damage was reported as minimal.
The tragic flooding in Bahia Blanca has resulted in the loss of at least 10 lives, prompting government officials to initiate emergency rebuilding efforts. With a significant number of evacuees and a severe rainfall record, the region is grappling with both immediate safety concerns and the longer-term recovery process.
Original Source: www.communitynewspapergroup.com
