‘Humanitarian question first’ in Argentina floods

Argentinian police and soldiers were searching house-to-house, in streams and culverts for bodies as more than 20 people remained missing yesterday from floods that killed at least 55 people in the province and city of Buenos Aires.

The torrential rains had stopped and the waters mostly receded yesterday, but a public health and safety crisis gripped nearly one million people, where thousands remained without power or safe drinking water.

Many people barely escaped after seeing everything they own disappear under water reeking with sewage and fuel that rose more than six feet high inside some homes.

The wreckage left behind was overwhelming: piles of broken furniture, overturned cars, ruined food and other debris.

Buenos Aires provincial governor Daniel Scioli said that the death toll had risen to 49 people in La Plata, following six deaths in the national capital from flooding two days earlier.

“The humanitarian question comes first. For this reason we’ve planned several lines of action so that the people have the support, the tranquility and the security that they’ll be able to recover what they’ve lost for this tragedy. I will apply the necessary resources,” Mr Scioli
promised.