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MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, March 26th 2026 - 20:59 UTC

Environment

  • Thursday, April 20th 2017 - 06:33 UTC

    Chubut province declared in state of emergency and agriculture disaster

    Torrential rains, flash floods and mudslides have destroyed most of the intensive agriculture and seriously hampered cattle and sheep farming

    Chubut province in Argentine Patagonia has been declared in state of emergency and eight of its 16 counties in agriculture disaster as a consequence of torrential rainfall and mudslides which have left huge areas isolateds, or cut off from the communications network.

  • Thursday, April 20th 2017 - 01:57 UTC

    Punta Arenas plans to seat a major Antarctica scientific research hub

    Governor Jorge Flies said the objective was for at least 1,000 scientists to settle in the Magellan region capital of Punta Arenas

    Chile will build the International Antarctic Center in the southern city of Punta Arenas, meant to become the entering point to the white continent for the world. The Governor of the Magellan region and the Chilean Antarctic, Jorge Flies stated this week that there were 35 projects developing in his jurisdiction, in three important areas.

  • Saturday, April 15th 2017 - 09:47 UTC

    Falklands review tourist season and discuss shortcomings and improvements

    Mrs. Middleton opened the session by giving updates on a few issues that had come up in the last year

    Falkland Islands Tourist Board chairman Mike Rendell and Interim CEO Steph Middleton welcomed a large group of interested parties to the Chamber of Commerce last week for an informal end of tourist season ‘washup.’ Topics raised ranged from perennial issues such as easy access to the Totem Pole for tourists, to newer developments such as what to do with the new jetty.

  • Saturday, April 15th 2017 - 08:10 UTC

    Chile expands Patagonia national parks with Tompkins Foundation donation

    The Tompkins Foundation of one million acres will help form a network of 17 national parks along Patagonia that spans most of Chile.

    Chile set aside 11 million acres of land for national parks aided by the largest private land donation from a private entity to a country. The conservation effort of the Tompkins Foundation helped pave the way for Chile to greatly expand its conservation of the pristine Patagonia wilderness.

  • Tuesday, April 11th 2017 - 06:14 UTC

    Falkland Islanders asked on proposals to recommend Marine Management Areas

    A pair of Black-Browed Albatross: 56% of the Falklands breeding Black-Browed Albatross population (approx. 44% of world population) live on Jason Islands

    Falkland Islanders are being asked to comment on proposals to recommend three Marine Management Areas (MMAs) to the Falkland Islands Government (FIG). These areas include some of the Falklands most pristine and vulnerable marine environments such as around Beauchêne Island and the Jason Islands archipelago, and include globally important populations of the Black-Browed Albatross and the Rockhopper penguin.

  • Tuesday, April 11th 2017 - 05:30 UTC

    Chinese company buys 50% share of the Veladero mine in Argentina

    Barrick's CEO John Thornton and Shandong chairman Chen Yumin during the ceremony that closed the deal (Pic by Barrick Gold Corporation)

    Barrick Gold and Shandong Gold, a Chinese company, have signed a strategic co-operation agreement that includes half the Veladero gold mine in Argentina. Shandong has agreed to purchase 50% of the Veladero mine in Argentina for US$960 million, and a joint venture will be created to operate it.

  • Tuesday, April 4th 2017 - 09:50 UTC

    Torrential rains and mudslides destroy “80% of Comodoro Rivadavia”

    Mud and water covers cars and floods shops in downtown Comodoro Rivadavia

    Comodoro Rivadavia, in Argentine Patagonia, also known as the “Oil capital” of the country is estimated to have experienced an “80% destruction” of the city, according to a first report from an Army engineers' battalion sent to set up bridges and repair highways. The city suffered a week of historic torrential rains (330mm) and strong winds with flooding, mudslides which swept away with bridges and tracts of roads and major highways.

  • Monday, April 3rd 2017 - 10:16 UTC

    Mudslide in Colombian sweeps away half a city: 254 dead, hundreds missing

    Heavy rains caused several rivers to overflow, pushing sediment and rocks onto buildings and roads in the capital of southwestern Putumayo province

    Flooding and mudslides in the Colombian city of Mocoa sent torrents of water and debris crashing onto houses in the early hours of Saturday morning, killing 254 people, a quarter of them children, injuring hundreds and sending terrified residents, some in their pajamas, scrambling to evacuate.

  • Saturday, March 25th 2017 - 09:21 UTC

    Icebreaker Almirante Irizar ready to begin sea trials after a decade in repairs

    Malcorra and Martinez before boarding for a tour of the recovered icebreaker Almirante Irizar

    Argentine foreign and defense ministers Susana Malcorra and Julio Martínez toured on Friday the recently repaired and refurbished Navy's icebreaker and Antarctica flagship, Almirante Irizar which a decade ago almost became a wreck after she caught fire on return from the annual Antarctic mission.

  • Friday, March 24th 2017 - 11:22 UTC

    Falklands/Honduras to share experiences in marine coastal resources management

    Ambassador Carolyn Davidson said that Dr Brickle’s visit set a milestone and is an example on how bridges of collaboration can be built across Latin America.

    Honduras and UK South Atlantic British Overseas Territories, mainly Falkland Islands are to share scientific experiences and develop potential projects that could enhance the Central American country's management of its marine coastal resources. With this purpose the Director of the South Atlantic Environmental Research Institute (SAERI), Dr Paul Brickle, visited Roatán and Tegucigalpa last week.