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Orsi Tours Salto After Storm Causes Devastation; Over 3,000 Homes Still Without Power
🇺🇾 Uruguay /Disasters & Emergencies

Orsi Tours Salto After Storm Causes Devastation; Over 3,000 Homes Still Without Power

From El País · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • A severe storm in Salto, Uruguay, caused widespread damage, including fallen structures, trees, and damaged homes, with winds reaching 130 km/h.
  • The storm resulted in one fatality, a woman who was struck by a falling metal structure, and two hospitalizations.
  • Over 3,000 households remain without power, and authorities are working on reconstruction efforts and providing aid to affected families.

President Yamandú Orsi visited Salto on Monday to assess the extensive damage caused by a severe storm that struck the department early Saturday morning. The tempest brought wind gusts up to 130 kilometers per hour, toppling utility poles and trees, damaging roofs, and causing significant destruction to homes.

The storm's ferocity led to a tragic fatality: a woman riding a motorcycle died after a metal structure detached from a shed and struck her. Seconds later, the motorcyclist she was with collided with the same structure and was hospitalized, though his injuries are not considered life-threatening. A municipal employee also required hospitalization due to an electric shock.

The wind gusts reached 130 kilometers per hour, causing fallen poles and trees, blown-off roofs, and significant damage to homes.

— El PaísDescribing the impact of the storm.

In response to the disaster, authorities have evacuated four families to a student residence in Salto. Aquiles Mainardi, director of Salto's Cecoed (Emergency Operations Center), outlined a two-part recovery plan: first, ensuring the safety of residents by relocating those whose homes are damaged or at risk, and second, focusing on the reconstruction of the department.

A woman who was traveling as a passenger on a motorcycle died after a metal structure detached from a shed and hit her head during the storm.

— El PaísReporting on the fatality caused by the storm.

Power outages continue to affect a significant portion of the region, with approximately 3,200 UTE (Uruguayan State Electric Power Company) services down. UTE has deployed an additional 250 workers from various departments to assist in restoring power. However, heavy rains have swollen rivers and blocked roads in several areas, hindering access and complicating the repair efforts.

The government has pledged to provide sheet metal and mattresses to affected families, as authorities continue to work on rebuilding efforts and supporting the thousands of residents impacted by the storm.

UTE services were affected in about 3,200 households in the department of Salto.

— UTEProviding statistics on power outages.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El País in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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