Floods in Buenos Aires

We arrived in Buenos Aires on Friday to a pleasant warm and dry morning. However, in the afternoon torrential rain brought flooding and traffic chaos to the city and in particular to the district we are staying in. Thankfully, we were in our hotel and remained there during it watching the situation unfold on the TV news and following it via Twitter.

It reminded us of our arrival in Cuba a few years ago which coincided with the arrival there of Hurricane Michelle.

People were using long lengths of rope to guide them through flood stricken streets where they were wading in water up to their waists. Scaffolding was brought down at a building site (not our one we hope) crushing cars on the street beneath.

The TV news said that 77mm of rain fell in an hour but internet reports suggested 57mm.

Thankfully, it did not last long and by the time we ventured out of our hotel for dinner later in the evening there was little sign of the flooding. The following day we came across a building site (not ours) where the foundations were being dug below ground level. This was almost completely full of water and was being pumped out. The mechanical diggers were submerged in water. I attempted to take a photo through the opening into the site but was discouraged by the workmen. So instead I took a photo of the graffiti on a wall nearby as my best effort to illustrate floods in Buenos Aires!

I did, however, locate on Twitter a twitpic by @santisiri which illustrated the severity of the flooding well. I re-tweeted that twitpic to be informed by Charles Christian that the UK was also suffering from floods. Indeed from the BBC news it would appear that the flooding in Wales and the South of England was probably worse and certainly more prolonged. In addition the UK was being hit with 80mph winds. So things were not too bad in Buenos Aires after all.