BUENOS AIRES.- The flooding of the Uruguay River, triggered by flooding in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, has forced the evacuation of more than 560 residents in the city argentina of Concordia.
Concordia, located in the province of Entre Ríos and bordering Uruguay, is submerged under water, with most of its streets flooded. Residents travel in canoes due to the rising level of the Uruguay River, whose flood originated on the borders of Río Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, in southern Brazil.
The mayor of Concordia, Francisco Azcué, reported that in the last two days 568 people have been evacuated, of which 200 are staying in local assistance centers. The city has the Salto Grande dam nearby, which controls the flow of water to a certain extent. However, when the volume exceeds certain limits, they are forced to perform floodgate opening maneuvers, which indirectly affects Concordia.
“We have the Salto Grande dam a few kilometers away and it contains water up to a certain limit. But at a certain point it cannot continue containing it and has to make maneuvers so that the opening of the floodgates and the flow of water coming out of the dam has as little impact as possible. But when the flow is of this magnitude, it indirectly affects our city,” Azcué explained.
Provincial authorities and the national government have provided assistance to the town, including the presence of the Army to assist in evacuation operations and distribute food supplies.
In Rio Grande do Sul, at least 136 people have lost their lives and another 125 remain missing. Additionally, more than 400,000 people have been displaced from their homes, with 70,000 seeking shelter in temporary facilities such as gyms and schools.
Source: With information from AP
