There are still people to be rescued on each side of the border where authorities are working to expedite the process of care and evacuation. | Photo: RCN Radio

Santiago de Chile, July 12 (RHC)-- Around 400 people including tourists, truck drivers and other travelers are still trapped in temperatures of 10 degrees Celsius below zero due to a snowstorm on the Argentine-Chilean border.

The Chilean presidential delegate for the province of Los Andes, Cristian Aravena, explained that those rescued "are in good health and fed."   In the Los Libertadores border refuge, on the Chilean side of the river, there are "approximately 200 people, including bus passengers. There are another 20 people, passengers in their private vehicles", said police officer Héctor Castro to Chilean media.

Meanwhile, in Argentinean territory, police and military forces rescued around 120 people, but there are still 200 people at an altitude of 3,000 meters in the foothills of the Andes.
The official of the Argentinean municipality of Las Heras, Héctor Tello, declared that "there are temperatures of 10 degrees Celsius below zero and there was more than one meter of snow accumulated on the roads."  He warned that evacuations will conclude on Monday, but weather conditions "are still bad".

Regarding those who were trapped by the snowfall on Saturday, Tello detailed that "all were and continue to be supplied with warm water and food by the Gendarmerie (border police)."    After the intensity of the weather phenomenon, with sustained winds last Saturday, the Los libertadores route was closed.