MONTEVIDEO and BUENOS AIRES, heavy rains forced hundreds of people to evacuate their homes in Uruguay and Argentina. "The situation is a disaster, very serious," said Gilberto Alegre, chief of the General Villegas municipality in the western region of Buenos Aires province. He added almost half of the agricultural land there was under water. More rain is expected on Monday.

Almost 1,000 people across the coastal province have been evacuated as rains pounded the region, leading President Fernando de la Rua on Tuesday to declare the area a disaster zone.