During an unusual river flood, a storm in San Rafael, Mendoza caused havoc in the Atuel Canyon. Provincial Route 173 suffered severe damage over the weekend, and traffic in the area remains interrupted.
Furthermore, the Nihuil 2 and Nihuil 3 hydroelectric plants were affected. Authorities are currently working to restore connectivity in this area.
The extreme storm that wreaked havoc in the Atuel Canyon
During the early hours of Saturday, a strong storm hit the Atuel Canyon, affecting Provincial Route 173 and the Nihuil 2 and Nihuil 3 hydroelectric plants.
Although significant damage was reported in the turbine-generator groups and their auxiliary systems, no injuries to personnel or additional impacts in the area were reported.
Several kilometers of the circuit road connecting El Nihuil with Valle Grande disappeared. The Los Nihuiles hydroelectric complex suffered damage that will paralyze operations for months.
Works in the Atuel Canyon
The Undersecretary of Infrastructure and Territorial Planning, María Teresa Badui, reported on the actions taken to recover the road and emphasized the safety of route users.
“For a few days now, a team has been working on-site. To organize the actions, we divided this work into two main axes. The first one involves repairing the sections between El Nihuil and Power Plant No. 1, as well as the area from the Valle Grande dam to the Submarine viewpoint,” she explained in an interview with FM Vos 94.5.
“In total, it is estimated that these works will cover about 14.5 kilometers and are expected to be completed by January 24th. In these two sections, we have over 30 people working, including equipment operators and assistants. To speed up the works, we have also brought machinery from other parts of the province,” Badui added.
“The second intervention axis focuses on a 12-kilometer stretch located between Power Plants No. 1 and No. 3. In this area, approximately 8 kilometers of the road were practically destroyed by the storm’s force,” the official stated.
Authorities are currently assessing the extent of the damage and designing a specific action plan for this area. “There were 10 cubic meters of debris, causing various obstructions at five critical points. There is even a damaged concrete defense, so we are working together with the Hydraulic Directorate,” Badui concluded.
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