Violent storms in Tartagal, provoked a mud landslide on Monday night, resulting in two fatalities, nine disappeared and over 1,000 evacuated.
The heavy rains had devastating affects on the infrastructure of town, which is in the northern province of Salta, and left it partially isolated. The level of mud in the Salteño town reached over 1.5 metres and mudslides caused the local river to overflow. An estimated 2,500 houses are flood-damaged, a 50-metre-long railway bridge collapsed and electricity and telephone lies were pulled down.
The National Metrological Service warned that heavy storms are forecaste to continue until Wednesday evening in the north of the country affecting the provinces of Chaco, Corrientes, Formosa, Misiones, Salta and Jujuy.
Governor of Salta province, Juan Manuel Urtubey, criticised emergency services for being slow to arrive on the scene. However, once present, the rescue effort continued throughout the night.
From Spain, President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner released national resources to provide all necessary aid and ordered three of her ministers to travel to the affected region, 400km north of Salta.
