The Argentine President, Javier Milei, announced on Wednesday, March 12, the creation of a fund of 200 billion pesos, or around 172 million euros, to help the city of Bahia Blanca, run over Friday by a storm that left at least 16 dead.
The funds will be allocated “without intermediaries,” added the presidency in its press release published in X.
The ultra liberal leader was earlier in the day in the devastated city, where floods caused “significant damage” for more than 70% of the inhabitants, according to the statements of the mayor of Bahia Blanca, Federico Susbia, during a press conference.
Estimated damage to $ 400 million
The port city of 350,000 inhabitants, located in the south of the province of Buenos Aires, was hit on Friday by torrential rains.
Faced with the emotion awakened by the disaster, the Argentine government had quickly decreed three days of national mourning and promised help of 10 billion pesos (around 9.2 million dollars, 8.7 billion euros) in Bahia Blanca.
The mayor estimated that around $ 400 million would be necessary to rebuild the city. Rescuers continue to seek both sisters of 1 and 5 years taken by the current with their mother, who survived.
“There are probably more deaths,” Bahia Blanca prosecutor, Juan Pablo Fernández, on Radio Miter on Tuesday.
Dozens of complaints for looting received
Justice has received dozens of complaints for looting stores and abandoned houses. “We arrest 17 people,” said Juan Pablo Fernández.
A train loaded with several tons of food, clothing and hygiene products arrived in the city on Wednesday with donations collected along the 600 km that separate it from the Argentine capital.
More than 4,000 volunteers responded to a call launched by the City Council to help the distribution and cleaning of the work.
The water flooded the main hospital of the city that had to be evacuated and damaged in many schools, still closed. He also destroyed bridges and roads and left on his way, leaving stacked cars, looted houses and a thousand evacuated people, of which some 370 are still housed in reception centers.
Source: BFM TV
