Southern Cone Battered by Heavy Rains

Thousands of people in the Southern Cone region of South America have been relocated due to heavy rains and flooding.

Authorities in Argentina announced Thursday that around 10,000 people were evacuated in the central province of Entre Rios as the water levels in the Uruguay River reached their highest level in nearly a century.

Al menos 10.000 evacuados en Argentina por inundaciones https://t.co/wYgsL8h7Om pic.twitter.com/Cjv3Dlpa19

— Caridad Manzo (@CaridadManzo) December 24, 2015

“At least 10,00 people evacuated in Argentina due to flooding.”

The provincial governor warned that up to 20,000 more people could be evacuated over the next 24 hours.

Meanwhile, flooding caused by heavy rains has also led to the evacuation of an estimated 100,000 people in Paraguay and more than 4,000 in Uruguay.

RELATED: Paraguay Floods Displace Thousands in Capital City Asuncion

Forecasters say the region could suffer one of its biggest floods in 60 years, according to local media.

In June 2014, around 75,000 people were evacuated in Asuncion amid extensive flooding caused by torrential rains.

The region has already witnessed the devastating impacts of the El Nino weather pattern, which climate scientists predict "could be among the strongest in the historical records” in 2016.