Storm leaves 16 dead and massive destruction

The victims were surprised by the storm while a competition was being held at the Bahense del Norte club, where former international basketball star Manu Ginobili trains. “(I’m) very sad about what my club, my city and the region are going through,” the athlete said on social media. Much of the city was left without power and suffered extensive damage.

President Javier Miley expressed his “sincere condolences” to the victims, and his government indicated that the government was “monitoring the delicate situation resulting from” the storm that struck Buenos Aires province, with winds “exceeding 150 kilometers per hour.” “The government is working with regional and municipal authorities to assist victims and limit damage,” the presidential office said.

Destruction in Buenos Aires

The National Meteorological Service declared an “orange” alert in the provinces of Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos, Cordoba and Santa Fe (central-east of the country), with rainfall of up to 130 mm, and a “yellow” alert for six other provinces, predicting rainfall of up to 130 mm. Storms advance north.

Meteorologist Leo DeBenedictis explained to AFP that the winds were generated by “a large mass of warm, humid air resulting from the passage of a cold front,” but without a specific connection to the current El Niño phenomenon.

Buenos Aires Mayor Jorge Macri said that the city of Buenos Aires was exposed early Sunday morning to winds reaching a speed of about 100 kilometers per hour, heavy rain, and a power outage. The capital woke up to 360 downed trees, destroying vehicles, cutting cables, extinguishing public lights and disrupting traffic. The city’s emergency services worked hard.

In the Palermo region, at least three people were injured in the early hours of the morning while attending a concert, where a stage collapsed, according to organizers. The emergency service said 13 other people were injured at the Palermo racetrack.