MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Extratropical cyclone already causing damage in Maldonado, Uruguay

Weather conditions are expected to deteriorate in the coming hours, Inumet warned

One tree was reported fallen among other damages caused by the extratropical cyclone hitting the Uruguayan Department (province) of Maldonado where the exclusive beach resort of Punta del Este is located.

Firefighters and other first responders were summoned to the area as power cables were cut loose and other situations surfaced amid gusty winds which were expected to increase in the next few hours, as per a warning issued by the Uruguayan Institute of Meteorology (Inumet).

“This system will deepen over Atlantic oceanic waters on Friday 3, off the east coast of the country, where it will be configured as an extratropical cyclone,” Inumet said in a statement.

The “most affected area will be the South and East of the country,” the agency went on as a system of low atmospheric pressure is expected to pass from west to east.

“In addition to the increase of the swell, winds from the Southeast are expected to rotate to the Southwest between 40-50 km/ with gusts of 60-80 km/h and punctually higher,” Inumet also said.

The situation will also be accompanied by moderate to heavy rainfall (20-50 mm and above) in these areas, according to the forecast.