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Storm disrupts 48,000 UTE services in Uruguay; Salto hit hardest
🇺🇾 Uruguay /Disasters & Emergencies

Storm disrupts 48,000 UTE services in Uruguay; Salto hit hardest

From El País · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Ongoing story
  • A severe storm on July 18, 2026, disrupted 48,000 electricity services across Uruguay.
  • Salto department was particularly hard-hit, with over 21,500 service interruptions and one fatality.
  • UTE is working to restore power, warning that further disruptions may occur due to ongoing adverse weather.

Uruguay's national electricity company, UTE, reported widespread service disruptions affecting 48,000 customers nationwide following a severe storm that began early Saturday, July 18, 2026. The department of Salto experienced the brunt of the impact, with more than 21,500 service interruptions.

The storm also caused significant damage in Salto, leading to one fatality. Local reports indicate a woman died while riding her motorcycle when a piece of flying roof sheeting struck her. UTE stated that its crews began working from early Saturday morning to assess damage, repair lines, and ensure safety, with restoration efforts expected to continue throughout the day.

Given the forecast for continued adverse weather throughout Saturday, UTE cautioned that new service interruptions could occur. The storm's impact also led to the suspension of a presidential ceremony commemorating the July 18th anniversary due to meteorological alerts issued by Inumet, Uruguay's national meteorological institute.

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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