Argentina flooding update: 12 dead, around 4,000 remain displaced

© Gobierno de Córdoba

Floods in Idiazábal, Córdoba, Argentina, March 2015.

At least 12 people have been killed in the flooding that affected the three provinces of Cordoba, Santa Fe and Santiago del Estero in Argentina over the last 10 days.

Improved weather conditions in some areas has meant that some of those displaced by the recent floods have been able to return home. However, as many as 4,000 people are still waiting to return to their homes.

Santiago del Estero

According to the local civil defence agency (Defensa Civil de la Municipalidad de Santiago del Estero) around 3,500 people have been evacuated in the province as a result of flooding since 05 March 2015, when heavy rainfall pushed levels of the River Dulce to overflow.

Heavy rain between 05 and 06 March 2015, resulted in a house collapse in La Banda that injured a young child. Two people have died in the floods in Santiago del Estero, according to state newswire Telam.

Santa Fe

The flood waters have started to recede and the province is now let with the clean up of the damage left behind.

Newspaper reports that there is now an increased threats of diseases such as leptospirosis, gastroenteritis, conjunctivitis, dermatitis and respiratory infections. The flooding damage sewage systems and has left contaminated, stagnant water in the streets. Ministry of Health of the province of Santa Fe is delivering medication tp help combat the spread of such diseases.

Córdoba

Our earlier report of 03 March 2015 said that at least 2,000 people had been evacuated in the province as a result of recent flooding. The worst affected areas include Totoral, Jesús María, Caroya, Ascochinga, Idiazabal and Balnearia.

© Humberto Millares / Gobierno de Córdoba

Floods, 17/02/2015, Córdoba.

Improved weather conditions in some localities has meant that some of those evacuated have been able to return home. Currently around 1,500 people remain displaced, most of them in the small town of Idiazabal. Around 10 people have been reported killed in the floods in Cordoba.