More Than 3,600 Evacuated in Uruguay Floods
Floods in Uruguay have forced more than 3,600 people to evacuate their homes and cut off major highways in the middle of harvest season, government officials said Friday.
The small, mostly agricultural South American nation of 3 million people has been pounded by rains through much of April on the heels of its rainiest March in 100 years. The heaviest rains have been in the north and northeast, bordering Brazil.
Thousands of hectares of farmland have had their crops ruined since March because of the floods.
“There are a total of 3,666 people evacuated in the whole country and about seven highways where the rivers are so high you can’t get through,” said a government official. As recently as Thursday the number of people evacuated was only 2,500.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
