Martina Jaureguy 
Updated at 12:30 p.m.
Dozens of flights were delayed and some canceled due to downpours in Buenos Aires, leaving Aeorparque (Jorge Newbery) and Ezeiza (Ministro Pistarini) airports with very few departures on Tuesday morning.
A thunderstorm hit Buenos Aires, intensifying during the early hours of Tuesday, and heavy rain is forecast all day. With streets heavily flooded, travel around the city and to airports may be difficult.
At Jorge Newbery, the airport in Buenos Aires city, most departures scheduled from 6 a.m. onwards were delayed, according to the website of airport operating company Aeropuertos Argentina 2000. Most arriving flights scheduled between early Tuesday morning and Tuesday afternoon were canceled or delayed, with some diverted to other airports.
In Ministro Pistarini Airport, in Ezeiza, most arrivals and departures were on time at time of writing, but some departures were delayed.
The rain was so heavy that a red alert, denoting extreme weather, was issued. The alert was lifted at 10:30 a.m. for Aeroparque and at 10:45 for Ezeiza. However, a source from Aeropuertos Argentina 2000 said the alert could be reintroduced because the weather was unpredictable.
“Aeroparque and Ezeiza are in a very complicated situation because of a red [weather] alert,” the source said. When a red alert is in place, departing planes are not allowed to refuel and strict security protocols prevent baggage handling services from dealing with arriving flights, the source added.
In both airports, some planes that were ready to take off were required to wait on the runway for the National Meteorological Service to lift the red alert.
The weather forecast indicates the thunderstorm will continue until Thursday.
Heavy flooding
Flights are not the only transport service facing disruption due to the downpour. Train lines General Roca, Belgrano Sur and Mitre report delays and cancellations in their services because of flooding on the tracks.
Some bus lines in Buenos Aires are on diversion or providing limited service due to the flooding, while others have temporarily suspended their services. The Premetro tram service also suspended its service.
Images posted on social media show streets completely flooded, with SUVs half submerged in water and cars floating in underground tunnels. The usual videos of people canoeing or swimming in the flooded streets of Greater Buenos Aires also appeared online on Tuesday morning.
