RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – This Tuesday, one of the favourite seaside resorts with international tourists in Uruguay was the victim of a heavy storm that left the city underwater, causing multiple material damages: it is Piriápolis, in the department of Maldonado.
Due to the heavy rains that were concentrated in a few hours, the city’s drainage system collapsed, and the streets became small rivers that damaged more than 40 vehicles and some homes and businesses. However, no one was evacuated or injured.
The mayor of Piriápolis, René Graña, informed that the cleaning and conditioning operation of the public roads has already begun and continues this Wednesday.
In addition, hypochlorite and detergent were given to the affected neighbors to carry out proper disinfection of the flooded areas.
Although the seaside resort of Piriápolis, located in the department of Maldonado, 40 kilometers from Punta del Este, was the most affected area in Uruguay, some neighboring areas were also affected by the heavy rains, with Pueblo Obrero (north of Piriápolis), Playa Verde and Playa Hermosa being other places with flooded streets where the municipality is also working.
According to Graña, the floods occurred because “the flow of water was so great that the drains were not able to drain” and generated an “overflow of gullies” that affected the area of the Piriápolis promenade.
The worst of the disaster was short-lived, starting around 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 4, but returning to normal after 4:30 p.m., as reported by the Uruguayan Departmental Emergency Coordination Center.
These rapid phenomena usually occur in the area due to the strong torrents falling from the neighboring hills, which, according to local media, “generate water currents that usually affect the entrance and exit of several stores, hotels and houses”.
As indicated by the head of the Piriápolis fire department, Viviana Borlinqui, “the greatest impact was on Sanabria street, where there were parked vehicles, which began due to the force of the water to move and collided with others parked on the same street”.