Hundreds of people have been snowed in this weekend by a snowstorm on a mountain pass on the border between Chile and Argentina. On Sunday, more than 400 people – mostly tourists and long-haul drivers – were stuck with temperatures of minus 10 degrees, according to local authorities.
On the Argentine side of the border, 120 people were rescued early in the morning by the police and army. 200 others were still trapped there. More than 200 people in Chile were unable to continue their journey due to the snow storm, police said.
Hundreds of vehicles snowed in
The storm started Saturday after a sudden wind shift. Hundreds of vehicles have been snowed in on a road connecting Argentina and Chile in a spur of the Andes at 3000 meters altitude. “There were cars that couldn’t continue their journey because of the fog and couldn’t even open the doors to get out,” Héctor Tello, an official of the Las Heras Municipality, told C5N.
The Los Libertadores border crossing has been closed by the authorities. “Temperatures are ten degrees below zero and there is more than a meter of snow on the roads,” continues Tello. That is why the Border Police provides those affected with warm water and food.
Prevailing cold spell rather unusual
Rescue efforts could be completed on Monday, officials said. However, the weather conditions are “still bad”. Las Heras is located in the province of Mendoza, about 1200 kilometers west of Buenos Aires. The cold spell that is currently prevailing there is rather unusual, despite the winter.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
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