Argentina – Thousands Evacuate Floods After Days of Heavy Rain

Days of severe weather, including heavy rain and flash flooding, has left around 3,000 people evacuated in Argentina, most of them from parts of the capital Buenos Aires.

The heavy rain began on 09 November, 2018. According to WMO figures, Sauce Viejo city in the province of Santa Fe recorded 196mm of rain in 24 hours to 12 November. Reconquista, also in Santa Fe, recorded 169 mm of rain in 24 hours the following day.

Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (SMN) in Argentina said that this November has already been one of the wettest on record.

According to national news agency Télam, 1,561 people have been evacuated in La Matanza, a district (partido) in Greater Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires Province. In addition, 100 people were evacuated in Arrecifes, 37 in Quilmes, 10 in Marcos Paz, 80 in Cañuelas, 8 in Saladillo, 14 in Trenque Lauquen.

In Santa Fe Province, around 300 people have been evacuated after flooding in Catamarca. Some flooding was also reported in the cities of Diamante and Paraná in Entre Rios. Télam said that around 400 homes have been flooded in Paraná.

Around 750 people were evacuated in Clorinda in the province of Formosa, after flooding from the Paraguay River. The city is close to the border with Paraguay where flooding from the Paraguay river displaced over 10,000 people in late October.

In Córdoba, authorities have opened the flood gates of the San Roque dam, which has caused flooding in down stream areas including Villa Carlos Paz. Local media said the water reached 7 metres in some areas.

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Flood Summary

Last updated: November 16, 2018
Event
Northern Argentina, November 2018
Date
November 9, 2018
Type
Flash flood, River flood
Cause
Extreme rainfall, Long-term rainfall

Locations

A - La Matanza
B - Catamarca
C - Diamante
D - Paraná
E - Clorinda
F - Villa Carlos Paz
G - Las Flores, Buenos Aires - Rainfall level 82 mm in 24 hours
H - La Plata - Rainfall level 94 mm in 24 hours
I - Sauce Viejo, Santa Fe - Rainfall level 196 mm in 24 hours
J - Paraná - Rainfall level 177 mm in 24 hours
K - Rafaela - Rainfall level 130 mm in 24 hours
L - Concordia - Rainfall level 77 mm in 24 hours
M - Reconquista - Rainfall level 169 mm in 24 hours
N - Posadas - Rainfall level 59 mm in 24 hours
O - Parana River at Parana - River level 4.04 metres
P - Parana River at Diamante - River level 4.53 metres
Q - Paraguay River at Formosa - River level 7.51 metres

Magnitude

Rainfall level
82 mm in 24 hours
Las Flores, Buenos Aires - November 8 to November 9, 2018
https://www.smn.gob.ar/noticias/cronolog%C3%ADa-de-una-lluvia-anunciada
SMN figures
Rainfall level
94 mm in 24 hours
La Plata - November 9 to November 10, 2018
SMN figures
Rainfall level
196 mm in 24 hours
Sauce Viejo, Santa Fe - November 11 to November 12, 2018
SMN figures
Rainfall level
177 mm in 24 hours
Paraná - November 11 to November 12, 2018
SMN figures
Rainfall level
130 mm in 24 hours
Rafaela - November 11 to November 12, 2018
SMN figures
Rainfall level
77 mm in 24 hours
Concordia - November 12 to November 13, 2018
WMO figures
Rainfall level
169 mm in 24 hours
Reconquista - November 12 to November 13, 2018
WMO figures
Rainfall level
59 mm in 24 hours
Posadas - November 13 to November 14, 2018
WMO figures
River level
7.78 metres
Parana River at Santa Ana - November 13 to November 13, 2018
River level figures from Prefectura Naval Argentina
River level
4.04 metres
Parana River at Parana - November 13 to November 13, 2018
Alert level is 4.7
River level
4.53 metres
Parana River at Diamante - November 13 to November 13, 2018
Alert level is 5.3 m
River level
7.51 metres
Paraguay River at Formosa - November 13 to November 14, 2018
alert is 7.8

Damages

Evacuated
3,000
November 9 to November 14, 2018
300 in Santa Fe Province, 700 in Formosa Province and 2,000 in Buenos Aires Province.
Fatalities
4 people
Buenos Aires Province - November 9 to November 14, 2018