16 Confirmed Dead As Year's Worth Of Rain - 15" - Falls On Argentinian City Of Bahia Blanca In Eight Hours
Rescue teams in Argentina are searching for two girls, aged one and five, who were swept away by severe floods that ripped through Buenos Aires province, killing at least 16 people. A year’s worth of rain fell on the city of Bahía Blanca and the town of Cerri on Friday, rapidly inundating neighbourhoods and destroying homes, bridges and roads. The rainfall – 400mm (15.7in) recorded in just eight hours – was more than twice the city’s previous record of 175mm (6.8in) set in 1930.
The sisters, Delfina and Pilar Hecker, were travelling with their parents when their car became trapped in the rising waters. According to reports, a truck driver, named as Rubén Zalazar, attempted to rescue the children before they were swept away. The body of 43-year-0ld Zalazar was found in a lagoon on Sunday.
At least 16 people have been declared dead by officials, with authorities saying there are “likely to be more”. In the latest press conference, Carlos Bianco, a minister in the Buenos Aires province, said at least 100 people were missing. Authorities also said more than 1,000 people were evacuated over the weekend, while estimates suggest hundreds have been made homeless. Videos posted online showed neonatal nurses wading through knee-deep flood waters to rescue newborn babies.
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The national security minister, Patricia Bullrich, said the area had been “destroyed”, while Argentina’s president, Javier Milei, declared three days of national mourning. But the government has also come under fire after it emerged the national emergency directorate – which provides disaster relief – was shuttered three days before the storm, with 485 employees dismissed or placed on leave. The decision comes as Milei’s administration conducts widespread cuts to state spending.
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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/10/argentina-flooding