Patagonia – Record snowfall – Sheep and cows buried alive

[Mark]

Historic snowfall could destroy sheep farming in the area for years.
Five feet (1½ m) of snow and temperatures around 20 degrees below zero.
Can you imagine even trying to walk through snow up to your chin?

This climate combo, which has been taking place for 20 days in the region, left livestock farming in a critical state and led to the Rio Negro government this week declaring a state of Emergency and / or Agricultural Disaster in 6 departments of the western province.
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In the departments of Bariloche, El Cuy, Ñorquinco and Pilcaniyeu were hit by “extraordinary snowfall” that “have caused damage” in rural livestock farms in the area, leading to a crisis for many sheep farmers and other productions in Patagonia and the south of the country.


 
The president of the Argentine Rural Confederations (CRA), Jorge Chemes , in dialogue with Infobae commented: “This historic snowfall reveals the fragility of our country. The southern provinces will take years to recover. It is very difficult to produce in a context where there is no gas, electricity or telephone.

In Río Negro they declared an agricultural emergency due to snowfall.

Routes, roads, sewers, telephone and internet communication services, gas, electricity, have collapsed in the face of the phenomenon and make rescue efforts more complex for residents, families, workers and producers.

https://www.infobae.com/economia/2020/07/27/por-las-fuertes-nevadas-en-la-patagonia-el-campo-ya-advierte-sobre-una-posible-desaparicion-de-la-ganaderia/

Thirteen 13 photos showing the enormity of the problem:
https://www.clarin.com/fotogalerias/fotogalerias-imagenes-temporal-historico-chubut-record-nevadas_5_NgIQyxvaR.html

Thanks to Martin Siebert for these links

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