An old crane at South Dock 'could' with the containers, but ended up in the water by the storm

A powerful storm swept through the Greater Buenos Aires area late Saturday, causing widespread disruption across several municipalities in the province of Buenos Aires. Streets turned into rivers, vehicles were stranded, homes suffered water ingress, fallen trees blocked roads, and power cuts disrupted daily life. Residents shared videos and images on social media capturing the chaos unfolding around them. One of the most alarming incidents occurred at the Dock Sud port, located in the municipality of Avellaneda. A partial collapse was reported at the Exolgan wharf, one of Argentina’s main container terminals. According to a statement released by Exolgan, the collapse took place at Wharf 1, which had been out of service at the time of the incident. The company confirmed that there were no injuries and that regular operations at the terminal remained unaffected. Exolgan explained that access routes for container movement continued functioning normally, and initial inspections have begun to determine the cause of the collapse and assess the condition of the damaged structure. The company emphasized that the affected section did not serve as part of the active operational areas, so the flow of ships and containers was not impacted. The incident occurred amid a severe weather event that has kept much of the Greater Buenos Aires region under orange alert. In just a few hours, heavy rainfall led to flooding in streets, highways, and entire neighborhoods, particularly in southern suburbs such as Avellaneda, Lanús, Quilmes, Lomas de Zamora, and Berazategui, as well as parts of Buenos Aires City and La Plata. Videos circulating online show cars nearly submerged in water, overflowing drains, strong wind gusts, and trees falling onto streets, houses, and vehicles. In some locations, public transportation faced delays, and navigating through flooded areas became challenging. Authorities continue monitoring the situation and advise against unnecessary travel while heavy rains persist, urging residents to avoid crossing flooded streets and stay informed via official channels. Meanwhile, technical teams are working to determine whether the collapse of the wharf was directly linked to the intensity of the rainfall or if structural factors played a role. In parallel, local governments are carrying out drainage, cleaning, and assistance efforts for residents who were affected by the strong storm. The dock, known for its critical role in Argentina's international trade, saw a portion of its infrastructure compromised during the storm. While the immediate impact on operations was minimal, the incident highlights the vulnerability of aging infrastructure in extreme weather conditions. Engineers and officials will need to conduct thorough assessments to ensure the safety and functionality of the facility moving forward. As the region continues to recover from the storm, attention remains focused on both the physical damage and the broader implications for infrastructure resilience in the face of increasingly frequent severe weather events.