By Nicolás Misculin
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – Heavy rains in the Argentine port city of Bahia Blanca, southwest of capital Buenos Aires, led to six deaths and caused substantial flooding, local media and officials said on Friday.
The storm also forced an emergency evacuation of homes and health centers, and social media images showed mothers of newborns fleeing from a flooded hospital with their babies.
Meteorologists warned the weather outlook was not promising, with a new storm front expected late on Friday.
Authorities confirmed the death of one woman at a highway intersection, and did not rule out further fatalities.
Local media reported an additional five deaths, as torrential rains swept cars through the streets, downed trees and left hundreds of people without power.
“A large part of the city is under water after seven hours of uninterrupted torrential rain, which without a doubt means we face a natural catastrophe,” said the mayor’s office for Bahia Blanca, home to 300,000 residents and a major commercial port.
The city sits within Buenos Aires province, and is roughly 600 km (373 miles) from the capital.
The national government and provincial government announced a rescue operation to assist the victims after more than 200 millimeters (7.87 inches) of rain fell in a matter of hours.
Officials closed the local airport, and some roads to the city suffered severe damage.
(Reporting by Nicolas Misculin in Buenos Aires, Writing by Lucinda Elliott, Editing by Sandra Maler)
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