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Former champ will take to stages in France this weekend
Argentina supports flood victims
Rally Argentina (23 - 26 April) plans to offer moral support to victims of devastating floods in the rally region last month that killed at least seven people and forced over 1000 to leave their homes.
More than 30cm of rain, a third of the area’s annual rainfall, fell in just 12 hours in Córdoba province, damaging 1500 homes and destroying two major bridges.
The worst affected area was the Sierras Chicas, north of the rally base in Villa Carlos Paz and where Friday’s opening leg is centred. The village of Ascochinga suffered particularly badly when the river there flooded, forcing many people to be evacuated.
Friday’s 52.00km Agua de Oro - Ascochinga special stage ends in the village but with the weather now improved and reconstruction work under way, organisers and local authorities have decided not to modify the route.
“The floods were unbelievable and our thoughts are with all those families throughout the province who suffered,” the rally’s general co-ordinator, David Eli, told wrc.com.
“We want to support the affected communities which host the event. Rally Argentina is hugely popular with the families that live there and we believe that leaving the route unchanged and driving through their villages will give people something to look forward to as they rebuild their lives.
“We are forming a committee to work on supportive measures and will have further details of those shortly,” said Eli.
Saturday and Sunday’s stages escaped the worst of the rain and are reported to be in good condition.
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