Severe storm hits Buenos Aires, leaves two dead and 100 000 homes without power, Argentina

A severe storm with winds blowing over 130 km/h (81 mph), hail, lightning and an average rainfall of 120 mm (4.72 inches) hit Buenos Aires on April 29, 2018, causing heavy flooding and damage.

In the county of Tres de Febrero, one of the areas worst hit by the storm, a 47-year old father, and his 17-year son died after a power line fell on a metal gate causing electrocution. An eight-ton billboard also collapsed over four houses forcing residents to abandon their homes.

In Merlo, 130 km/h (81 mph) strong wind gusts made a roof to collapse at a parking lot crushing some 18 vehicles, and a dining room catering for 140 children was completely flooded. Merlo mayor Gustavo Menendez said there were tens of fallen trees, lack of power as electricity lines fell and tens of homes with roofs blown off.

In the county of El Palomar, a school lost its roof leaving several classrooms exposed. 400 people had to be evacuated from their homes. The torrential rains made the rivers crossing urban metropolitan Buenos Aires to overflow, stranding vehicles and forcing people to abandon their homes.

In Buenos Aires, the impact of the torrential rains with an average rainfall of 120 mm (4.72 inches) caused the flooding of several underground lines, which remained interrupted for most of April 29^th. Limited emergency service lines remained operational. Urban train lines were also delayed because of fallen trees and billboards. The city's Civil Defense office said it received 1840 emergency calls including 120 direct interventions. Early April 29, some 100 000 homes were without power.

The Buenos Aires city domestic airport Aeroparque had to suspend operations for a few hours because of the rain intensity and roof failure with water sipping into the counters section. An electronic music festival in an open stadium was suspended after a lightning hit the stage and forced the evacuation of the festival attendees. The national theatres Colón and San Martín in downtown Buenos Aires also suffered flooding. Several soccer matches were suspended as well as a major Nations Cup polo match between Argentina and Colombia.

Featured image and images credit: Cadona3.com