Vera, Argentina faces flooding and livestock displacement

Excessive rainfall in the Vera department of northern Santa Fe, Argentina, has caused significant disruption for livestock producers. During the first four months of 2026, areas such as Vera and Pintado received over 1,100 millimeters of rain, exceeding the annual average of 900 millimeters. This flooding has submerged low-lying areas, forcing ranchers to move cattle to higher ground, known as 'domos,' which are becoming increasingly saturated. The shortage of available land has led to rising rental demands and emergency sales of livestock to reduce pressure on the remaining dry fields.

In response to the weather patterns and the potential influence of the El Niño phenomenon, the Municipality of Vera has intensified preventive measures. Mayor Paula Mitre reported that the city is cleaning over 27 kilometers of drainage channels connecting to the Paraná River and local streams. Infrastructure works are also being conducted on National Route 11 and Provincial Route 98 to prevent roads from acting as barriers to water runoff. Additional urban interventions include cleaning gutters and improving drainage connections in historically flood-prone sectors like Plaza Independencia.