Heavy Smoke Blankets
Buenos Aires
Heavy smoke caused by
the burning of farmland
has smothered Buenos
Aires, Argentina's
capital, and its
surrounding region for
days, leading to traffic
accidents and closure of
ports and airports.
The smoke clouds have
caused traffic
accidents, flight delays
and paralyzed ports in
Buenos Aires, La Plata,
Zarate and Campana,
officials said Thursday.
Main highways out of
Buenos Aires have been
shut due to low
visibility.
Officials blamed the
smoke on farmers burning
fields to renew farmland
in the Delta del Parana
region.
On Wednesday, at least
three people died and 14
were injured on highway
9 in a 14-vehicle crash
that occurred due to low
visibility.
The smoke led to a surge
in people seeking
hospital treatment for
respiratory and eye
irritations. The health
services are on alert to
attend any emergency
that may arise due to
the high levels of
carbon monoxide caused
by the smoke, the Buenos
Aires' mayorship said.
Argentina's Interior
Minister Florencio
Randazzo has announced
legal action against the
land owners.
Buenos Aires residents
hope a wind change will
blow the smoke away and
clear the region's
skies.
The smoke cloud has also
reached Uruguay. In
Montevideo, the
Uruguayan capital, 223
km east from Buenos
Aires, the smoke caused
flight delays and
residents were wondering
at first if the fire was
nearby.
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