MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Heavy storm leaves one dead, downs trees, and disrupts flights in Buenos Aires

The SMN foresees more thunderstorms for the remainder of Tuesday and Wednesday

The Autonomous City of Buenos Aires (CABA) and parts of the metropolitan areas around it which together make up the so-called AMBA were hit by heavy rains on Tuesday morning- One person was found dead in the Lanús area, five blocks from the CABA limits as residents coped with an orange alert from the National Meteorological Service (SMN) warning of possible thunderstorms and occasional hail.

 Starting at around 6 am, fallen trees, flooded streets, and significant traffic jams were reported throughout the Argentine capital and pictures went viral over social networks. With temperatures above 20ºC, rainfalls led to almost 100 millimeters of water in almost no time. In addition, takeoffs were postponed at the Jorge Newbery and Ezeiza Airports due to the weather. Authorities asked passengers to be patient and insisted it was out of security concerns as bolts of lightning hit the tarmac.

Ahora El fuerte temporal en el AMBA dejó graves consecuencias: en Valentín Alsina, Lanús, se encontró un cuerpo flotando en la calle inundada via @Dataclave pic.twitter.com/H2shJHArN5

— Solo Tránsito (@solotransito) March 12, 2024

In addition to Buenos Aires, the storm also impacted nine other Argentine provinces, which remain under an orange or red alert. The SMN foresees more thunderstorms for the remainder of Tuesday and Wednesday.

The body of a man found floating in a flooded corner a few blocks outside CABA was picked up by the authorities and handed over to the coroner for an autopsy to determine the cause of death, it was also reported.

Tuesday's rainfall in a few hours surpassed the whole month's historic average and equaled a previous storm from 1994.

More than a third of the territory of the province of Buenos Aires is covered by the SMN's alert, including Adolfo Alsina, Trenque Lauquen, Azul, Tapalqué, Olavarría, General Villegas, Arrecifes, Carmen de Areco, Junín, Pergamino, Chivilcoy, and Nueve de Julio. 

“#Lluvia”

Porque la tormenta dejó escenas como ésta: un gato todoterreno volviendo a su hogar y nadando por los charcos en Gerli. pic.twitter.com/9SxjYd3yTk

— Tendencias en Argentina (@porqueTTarg) March 12, 2024