“Did the red alert confuse you?”: Inumet explains why it issued a different warning than Sinae

Uruguay's Institute of Meteorology (Inumet) clarified on Friday why a red alert was issued by the National Emergency System (Sinae) while Inumet itself had an orange warning active. The institute explained that meteorological warnings and emergency alerts, though related, serve distinct functions.

Inumet issues its own warnings – yellow, orange, and red – based on the evaluation of meteorological phenomena and their intensity. In contrast, Sinae can declare an alert to prepare institutional responses and protect the population. Sinae utilizes technical information but also conducts a comprehensive assessment of risk and its potential impact.

This distinction means that a red alert from Sinae can indeed occur even when Inumet's warning is of a different color, such as orange. "The decision does not depend solely on the color of the meteorological warning," Inumet stated. For the storm experienced on Thursday night and early Friday, Sinae declared a red alert for specific areas based on its risk assessment, while Inumet maintained an orange warning.

President Yamandú Orsi reviewed the impact of the extratropical cyclone, noting one fatality from an electric shock and significant damage to homes and infrastructure. He convened a meeting with ministers and Sinae authorities to coordinate preparedness measures for the El Niño phenomenon. Orsi praised the "rapid responses" from various government bodies but stressed the need for solutions to "serious problems in housing." He also urged extreme caution due to downed power lines.