Officials say heavy rains in Argentina kill at least 16 as dozens reported missing

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BUENOS AIRES (AP) — Heavy rains that flooded a city on Argentina’s east coast in recent days have killed at least 16 people, officials said Sunday.

Rescue teams were searching for dozens of others reported missing, including two girls and two adults. Authorities said they were swept away by floodwaters unleashed by rains that began pelting the city of Bahía Blanca on Friday.

Crews have evacuated more than 1,450 people from the city located south of the capital of Buenos Aires. Those evacuated include patients from a local hospital.

Some 12 inches (300 millimeters) of rain have fallen in Bahía Blanca in recent days, when the historical monthly average is about 5 inches (129 millimeters).

No rain was forecast for the next 72 hours.