Uruguayan authorities confirmed Sunday that at least two people were killed in the city of Colonia del Sacramento as a result of the heavy storm hitting the area. Heavy rains and material damages were also reported in Montevideo, Durazno, Canelones, and other southern areas.
All 12 occupants of an Argentine sailboat that eventually sank into the La Plata River off the port of Colonia were rescued by the Uruguayan Navy and local volunteers, it was reported Monday.
Uruguayan authorities reported Wednesday the discovery of a dead 15-meter whale on the River Plate beach of Colonia, believed to be the first such discovery in the past 100 years.
Uruguayan tourism authorities included the riverside city of Colonia del Sacramento as yet another possible destination for cruise ships already making calls at Montevideo and Punta del Este. Deputy Tourism Minister Renzo Monzeglio headed the South American country's delegation which participated in the recent Seatrade Cruise Global 2023, arguably the most important cruise fair in the world, held at the Fort Lauderdale Convention Center in the US State of Florida.
After the strong reduction in visibility registered in the country this Monday due to fog and mist, which according to the Uruguayan Institute of Meteorology (Inumet) will persist until next Thursday, the ports of Montevideo, Colonia, and Buenos Aires decided to close, reported the Uruguayan newspaper El Observador.
Managerial authorities of the Uruguayan port of Colonia have reached an agreement for renovation works over the next year at a cost of around UY $ 80 million (US $ 1,840,800), it was announced.
Uruguay and Argentina will have for the first time a dry border. This is not because historians, cartographers or geographers suddenly found out, or Uruguay grabbed land from its larger neighbor.
Presidents from Uruguay and Argentina, Tabare Vazquez and Mauricio Macri, will be meeting on Wednesday to discuss an open agenda, but which according to Buenos Aires sources will be centered on the Venezuelan situation, where the two countries hold different positions. The meeting is scheduled to take place in Colonia, at the Anchorena Park, which is an official resting place of the Uruguayan Executive, and a twenty minutes helicopter flight distance from Buenos Aires.
Uruguay will be receiving fifty cruise calls less this 2014/15 season, which is 26% down compared to a year ago, revealed the country's Deputy Tourism and Sports minister, Antonio Carambula during the official launching of the season. This means Montevideo will be hosting 104 calls and Punta del Este, 70, compared to the 237 between both terminals (121 and 116) in 2013/14.
Uruguay expects a slowing down of cruise activity this season, probably in the range of 10% less vessel calls, particularly in Punta del Este, because of logistics problems with the circuits. However this will be partly compensated by the two Costa Cruise company vessels that will be operating from Montevideo as the starting point and end of South Atlantic tours.