Several avalanches were registered on Wednesday on Provincial Route 222 towards Las Leñas, in Malargüe, affecting the section of the Niña Encantada Lagoon. This phenomenon was consequence of the snow stormwhich, according to forecasts, will intensify from this Thursday and throughout the weekend in the mountain range, until Monday inclusive.
Due to this situation, Vialidad Mendoza and Civil Defense decided to keep RP 222 closed between National Route 40 and the ski center, until further notice.
An accumulation of more than 2 meters of snow is estimated at the base between Los Molles and Las Leñas. In addition, Provincial Route 226 to the El Azufre complex, where up to 3 meters of snow was recorded at the base, and Provincial Route 220, in El Sosneado, San Rafael, will also remain closed.
Although the avalanches were cleared by the staff and equipment of the Provincial Highway Directorate, The large amount of accumulated snow and the risk of new avalanches made it impossible to travel along the route.
Currently, work is being done to open an exit corridor to evacuate the residents of Los Molles, including residents of the area, tourism services workers and tourists, in coordination with Civil Defense.
On Wednesday, meanwhile, the DPV, together with the Civil Defense and the National Gendarmerie, rescued children housed in the shelter school located in Los Molles, for which they cleared the path to the school establishment.
A route was also opened with teams to reach a hotel and evacuate several tourists who had been trapped by the accumulation of snow.
Two weeks ago, Vialidad Mendoza had already rescued a dozen people who were in a shelter in Valle Hermoso, about 30 kilometers west of Las Leñas on Provincial Route 222, surprised by an early snowfall.
Weather forecasts anticipate a high-impact storm that will last several days and accumulate much more snow, so entering Provincial Route 222 is completely prohibited.
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