The government of Uruguay decreed a red level alert on Thursday as an extratropical cyclone brought winds exceeding 120 kilometers per hour to the coastal region and killed one person. The measure activates an operation by the National Emergency System along the coast from 21:00 Thursday (00:00 GMT) to 04:00 (07:00 GMT). The president of the Republic and his ministers are expected to sign the decree in the coming hours.
The Executive Branch based its decision on forecasts from the Uruguayan Institute of Meteorology, which reported very strong and persistent winds with gusts exceeding 120 kilometers per hour. The affected coastal strip extends from Arroyo Pando to the town of Aguas Dulces. The emergency operation will focus on Estación Atlántida, Estación La Floresta, Canteras de Marelli, Cerro Pelado, Cerros Azules, El Tesoro, Gregorio Aznárez, La Capuera, Maldonado, Nueva Carrara, Pan de Azúcar, Parque Medina, Pueblo Solís, San Carlos, 19 de Abril, Castillos, Puente Valizas, and Rocha.
Restrictions and damage
The red alert limits public mobility and requires state agencies to suspend non-essential activities. Essential services such as healthcare, security, and meteorological monitoring will remain active during the alert. In the department of Cerro Largo, a man died in the town of Tupambaé after being struck by lightning, according to preliminary information provided to EFE by the Cerro Largo Police Headquarters.
The storm caused fallen trees and power outages affecting 32,000 homes, according to the state power company, the National Administration of Power Plants and Electrical Transmissions. The highest number of service disruptions occurred in the departments of Rivera, Paysandú, and Lavalleja. The National Emergency and Risk Reduction Board, featuring authorities from all government ministries, is scheduled to meet on Friday.
