Around 280 people left their homes and 1000 families were affected by a storm that dumped 155 millimeters of rain on the city of La Plata on Thursday. The evacuees were sent to various centers around the city.

All evacuees had returned to their home by Friday afternoon, the city authorities confirmed.

La Plata Mayor Julio Garro confirmed on Friday morning that the city government’s operation to help those affected was ongoing. Social development minister Victoria Tolosa Paz told radio station Splendid that her staff were “assisting and helping the affected families”. 

“When the water reached our knees, we left,” Érica told news agency Télam. She lives on Street 12 between streets 95 and 96. “My husband was going to stay and look after the house but he decided to accompany us with the children.” Her family was evacuated to the Club Circunvalación of La Plata. 

In many cases, the men stayed behind to ensure nobody attempted to enter or rob their home, while the women and children traveled to the evacuation centers.

“First, we grabbed the children, and then we took care of bringing our stuff,” said Cristina of the Aeropuerto neighborhood. “You’re so afraid and desperate that first you look after the kids.” She evacuated her home with her children, sister-in-law, and nephews, while their partners stayed to look after “what little was left,” she said.

The first evacuations took place during the morning. “We have lost everything again, because we are always flooded, but this time it was almost like April 2, 2013,” said Myriam, who lives on the corner of streets 11 and 95. She was referring to the flood that caused 89 deaths and resulted in US$800 million of damage. 

Martina García, La Plata’s municipal subsecretary for risk management, said that throughout the afternoon they had established that the 1,100 people affected and the 180 evacuees were divided between three official evacuation centers.

Many people returned to their homes on Thursday night after the water started to withdraw. However Silvana, who is staying at the Los Hornos evacuation center, said that she would stay the night because she and her husband are homeless. 

“We don’t have our own home and the storm caught us in the streets. As always we aren’t able to pay for a hotel as it is very expensive for us,” she said. She said they needed a place to go on rainy and cold days. “Honestly, it’s very sad and and we are having a hard time.”
–Télam