The Argentine Port City of Bahia Blanca was “destroyed” after being struck by a year of rain in a few hours, killing 13 and driving hundreds of their homes, the authorities announced on Saturday.
Two young girls – whose local media said it was four years old and one – lacked after being swept away by the flood waters of the Storm on Friday.
The deluge left the hospital rooms under water, transformed the districts into islands and reduced electricity to the city bands. The Minister of National Security, Patricia Bullrich, said that Bahia Blanca had been “destroyed”.
The number of deaths went to 13 on Saturday, against 10, the authorities announced.
The mayor's office said that more victims were possible in this city of 350,000 inhabitants, located 600 kilometers (370 miles) in the southwest of the capital Buenos Aires.
Disappeared girls “may have been swept away by water,” Bullrich said on Radio Miter.
At least five of the victims died on flooded roads, perhaps after being trapped in their cars by rapidly increasing waters.
The storm forced the evacuation of the Jose Penna hospital, with images and a video of shared news on social networks showing nurses and other members of medical personnel wearing babies safe. They were then helped by the army.
The splint, which started on Friday morning, dumped more than 400 millimeters (15.7 inches) of rain in the region in just eight hours, “practically what Bahia Blanca obtains in an entire year,” said provincial security minister Javier Alonso.
“It's unprecedented,” he said.
Disolement scenes
Local media showed images of flooded stores and reported night looting.
The government has authorized emergency reconstruction aid of $ 9.2 million.
The storm left a large part of the surrounding coastal area without power. At one point, those responsible for the city of Bahia Blanco suspended the electricity due to the enormous amount of water in the streets.
The number of evacuates from Saturday at 850, down compared to a summit of 1,321, according to the mayor's office.
Bahia Blanca underwent past weather disasters, including a storm in 2023 which made 13 lives, caused a collapse of houses and caused damage to generalized infrastructure.
Strong rains also fell on Friday evening in the seaside resort of Mar Del Plata, with officials suspended evening activities and urging people to stay inside.
Buenos Aires was also struck by the storm but has not undergone any major damage.
