Flood victims in Uruguay now over 4,100
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The number of displaced people in Uruguay due to the flooding in the north and center of the country rose to 4,186, the Uruguayan National Emergency System (SNE) said Wednesday.
The largest number of victims, 1,614, is in Artigas, capital of Artigas department, 500 km north of the nation's capital Montevideo, as a result of the overflow of Cuareim River, which borders Brazil.
The second most affected city is Salto, 500 km northwest of Montevideo, with 1,500 people displaced due to the overflow of the Uruguay River, which borders Argentina.
According to the National Direction of Meteorology, the rains will continue throughout the whole country on Wednesday and Thursday, which could worsen the situation.
In Paysandu, 100 km south to Salto, the flooding of the Uruguay River also made some 400 people homeless.
The flooding also affected the localities of Treinta y Tres in the northeast (192 evacuated), Mercedes in the west (147 evacuated) and Rio Branco (104 evacuated).
With the help of the Air Force, authorities have dispatched
emergency relief items to the affected areas including tents, mattresses, blankets, hygiene products and fuel.
In 2007, Uruguay suffered the worst flooding in 50 years, leaving some 12,000 people homeless and causing millions of U.S. dollars in property loss, which led the government to declare a "national disaster."
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