Floods leave 600 000 ha (1.5 million acres) of crops damaged or destroyed, Argentina

Severe floods affecting Argentinan province of Santiago del Estero this month affected around 600 000 hectares (1 480 000 acres) of crops and caused at least 700 people to evacuate.

The worst affected were rural towns of Los Juries and El Cuadrado in the province's southeast, Civil Defense and the provincial government said, as reported by Telam.

In a recently released report, the National Institute of Agricultural Technology estimated there are 600 000 ha (1 480 000 acres) of crops affected by heavy rain and flooded roads, which interrupted the harvest of soy, corn and alfalfa crops.

In some areas, crops were under 40 cm (15.7 inches) of water, so owners decided to abandon them.

At least 700 people were evacuated, but some of them were afraid of theft and refused to leave.

Featured image: Floods in Santa Fe, Argentina – January 2019. Credit: Corelion