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Heavy rains cause flooding in Montevideo

Saturday, December 27th 2014 - 00:28 UTC
Full article 11 comments
The city of Montevideo, literally under water on Friday The city of Montevideo, literally under water on Friday

Worst storm in 50 years. Emergency Committee receivs over 100 calls for help. Bad weather expected to continue.

 Heavy rain storms lashed the Uruguayan capital of Montevideo Friday, leaving several parts of town literally under water, particularly in the vicinity of the Customs building and the old AFE station on Paraguay Street, it was reported.

According to Montevideo City Hall sources, 59 milimetres of water fell between 2:21 and 2:54 pm which is why the ageing drain system which is said to be over 80 years old in some cases was not up to the occasion.

Meteorologist Diego Vazquez Mello assured things will not change much during the weekend, with “high temperatures, certain rain and a chance of hail.”

Montevideo's Emergency Committee received over 100 telephone calls for help in less than one hour, committee coordinator Jorge Cuello reported.

“We're 23 millimeters short of 2014 becoming the year with the most rain in the last 100 years,” explained Juan Canessa, Director for Environmental Development. The city has invested 20 million US dollars in renewing its drainage, which is expected to be ready by next year, according to Canessa.

Cars washed away and fallen trees were to be seen in some parts of Montevideo, while isolated power outages were also reported.

The Uruguayan Met Institute (Inumet) has issued a yellow alert for the whole country, as rain also fell over coastal cities.

Similar weather is expected for the weekend in Argentina and southern Brazil.

Categories: Environment, Uruguay.

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  • ChrisR

    Not many dwellings in that area of the city just argie drug dealers and argie gangsters robbing the parked cars and tracking high value loads out of the container dock.

    Pity they did not drown.

    Dec 27th, 2014 - 12:58 pm 0
  • paulcedron

    christine
    a good number of the criminals in argentina are uruguayans.
    as counterpart, they have to suffer the presence of british criminals fleeing from justice.
    you know, they are everywhere.

    now about the argies, it seems the uruguayans are desperate for us to go there.
    so we have a lot of discounts, tax exemptions, etc.
    it seems you are the only one who does not know that us, argies, are the main source of income in uruguay

    Dec 27th, 2014 - 09:33 pm 0
  • ChrisR

    @ 2 POLLY

    As usual you are way behind the times.

    For the last THREE years argies have not been able to make it to Uruguay because they have NO money, last year was particularly poor.

    Although I support people coming to my new country because it helps to keep our Intendencia taxes down the problems with the big headed and big mouthed argies are just not worth the candle.

    We never have crime until the argie visitors arrive and road traffic problems, including injuries also soar. Did you know that your mates NEVER give way to pedestrians on pedestrian crossings? However, this year we have been promised more police to deal with the situation, so we wait in hope.

    Argies: you can always depend on them fucking things up for everybody else. The Argentines who stay all year are really pissed off with the visitors because they dislike being compared with the scum of your country.

    Dec 28th, 2014 - 11:53 am 0
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