Further severe weather, including heavy rain and flooding, has affected Argentina and Bolivia over the last few days. Meanwhile more heavy rain in Uruguay has increased river levels further and, as of 21 January, flooding had forced almost 5,500 people to evacuate their homes.
Earlier this month 3 people died in flash flooding in Argentina, while heavy rain caused rivers to overflow in Brazil and Uruguay, and flooding in 4 departments of Bolivia affected over around 10,000 people.
Argentina
Local media reported on 17 January that 3,000 people were evacuated after heavy rain caused flooding in Quitilipi City, Chaco Province, Argentina. More than 7,500 families were affected.
Resistencia, also in Chaco Province, recorded record rainfall earlier this month after 224 mm fell in 24 hours on 08 January.
Uruguay
Flooding in Uruguay has worsened since our report of 10 January.
The country’s Sistema Nacional de Emergencias (SNM) said that, as of 21 January, 5,481 people had been displaced by flooding in the departments of Artigas, Durazno, Florida, Soriano, Salto (2,202 people displaced) and Paysandú (3,034).
Bolivia
During the first days of January, flooding in Bolivia affected around 10,000 people in the departments of Santa Cruz, Cochabamba, Chuquisaca and Tarija.
On 14 January 2019, the Bolivia Civil Defense indicated that the following Municipalities in Cochabamba Department were declared a disaster zone due to heavy rain and floods: Puerto Villarroel, Villa Tunari, Chimore, and Entre Rios. Overall, 7,538 families and 5,438 hectares of agricultural land were affected.
Further heavy rain in Tarija Department from around 16 January caused some flooding in the Province of Burdett O’Connor, in particular in Entre Rios, where two rivers had broken their banks.
