Argentina: Floods - Mar 2025

On 6 March, the National Meteorological Service, through its Early Warning System, established the Orange Alert Level for storms for the southern region of the Province of Buenos Aires. Given that this represented a dangerous phenomenon for society, life, property and the environment, both the municipal authorities and different community institutions took preventive measures such as the suspension of classes, cancellation of outdoor activities and reinforcements in risk communication.

In the early hours of the morning of 7 March, the Bahía Blanca District, located on the southern coast of the province, experienced intense and prolonged rains, reaching a total of more than 300 mm in a sustained period of six hours. During the morning, the official agency raised the Alert Level to Red, in view of the short-term forecasts that foresaw the continuity of rainfall, with an expected accumulation of an additional 100 mm. The course of the Napostá stream, which crosses the city, did not have enough capacity to guarantee adequate rainfall runoff, which caused an overflow that generated significant impacts in 70% of the area.

In terms of its impact, the flood caused partial and total damage to the infrastructure of homes and businesses, light poles, walls, trees and signs, causing extensive material losses and interruptions in essential services such as medical care, transportation, electricity, gas, fuel, telecommunications and water supply.

The flood affected the vast majority of the community, both in urban and peri-urban areas, with the most affected areas being those in the east and southeast of the district. Many households experienced water inflow that has reached heights of two meters in some regions, including in the urban centre. Although approximately 50% of the affected areas have been drained, the recovery process is expected to take several weeks in some cases. Thus, particularly vulnerable areas such as the towns of General Cerri and Ingeniero White continue to face flooding challenges due to their geographical location, pre-existing drainage problems and high levels of vulnerability. (IFRC, 19 Mar 2025)

In northern Argentina, the overflowing Pilcomayo and Bermejo rivers has caused significant floods and flash floods, resulting in significant damage and power outages in Salta province, particularly the Chaco region of Salta. The situation is worsened by intense winds exceeding 100 km/h.

As of 31 March, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies reports that 2,000 people have been affected. Local authorities activated emergency protocols and conducted immediate evacuations in high-risk areas. (ECHO, 01 Apr 2025)