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The South American country is facing the highest temperatures recorded since 1957. The president, Alberto Fernández, ordered a series of measures to mitigate electricity cuts caused by high energy consumption. Additionally, nine hotspots are raging in the nation’s forest regions.
Argentina is going through one of the hottest stages ever experienced. Recent reports revealed that the hottest place in the nation was Santiago Del Estero, with a maximum temperature of 43.4 degrees Celsius.
Local media also reported that thermometers in the city of Buenos Aires reported 41.5 degrees, the second highest reading in history since 1957, when a temperature of 43.3 was recorded in the Argentine capital.
The national meteorological service issued a “red level” warning for several provinces in the country and called on citizens to take precautions in the midst of these record temperatures that can cause serious damage to people’s health.
According to experts, the situation will ease on Tuesday with readings of up to 27 degrees, but warm conditions will return on Wednesday.
#NOW | Friday afternoon with #temperatures above 40°C in many cities of the country. Several locations may register new records in the next few hours.
In addition, the City of Buenos Aires exceeds 40°C for the second time in a week. pic.twitter.com/rCfGy5Caqd
– SMN Argentina (@SMN_Argentina) January 14, 2022
More than 78,000 families without electricity in Buenos Aires
In this context, numerous homes suffered blackouts due to the high energy consumption reached in the midst of the meteorological event that affects the country. This Friday, just over 78,000 families were without electricity in the metropolitan area of Buenos Aires and last Tuesday it was learned that some 700,000 were also affected.
The president of the nation, Alberto Fernández, ordered a group of measures to mitigate the effects on the residential sector. Among the provisions adopted are the reduction, below the usual 30 percent, of energy consumption by the industrial sector and remote work for public employees after noon.
In this sense, the president highlighted the joint work of the government with businessmen, stating that “they realized that by wanting to produce or continue producing one day, they generated a negative impact where they themselves were left without energy.”
Nine outbreaks of fires in Argentina due to high temperatures
In the midst of high temperatures, several fires affect the country. Environmental authorities affirmed that one of the most destructive, located on the outskirts of San Carlos de Bariloche, has so far consumed some 6,000 hectares of land.
Today we analyze @JuanManzurOK the report of the National Risk Management System on the situation in the different regions in the face of the wave of high temperatures that crosses the country and the precautions that we are taking for the normal provision of water and electricity. pic.twitter.com/m1dxySkNVE
– Alberto Fernández (@alferdez) January 12, 2022
According to the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, the fundamental causes of conflagrations are the lack of rainfall, high temperatures and low humidity, while noting that 95% of forest fires are the product of human intervention.
The agency also disbursed some 7.7 million dollars and had four tanker planes, one observer and four fire engines to combat the flames, among other actions.
With EFE and local media
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