Pope Francis calls for aid for Argentina flood victims Civil defence workers, police and soldiers have been deployed to help with rescue efforts, while around 2,500 people were staying in emergency shelters in La Plata while they waited for waters to subside. Workers were waiting for the arrival of equipment before service can be restored to the estimated 280,000 who remain without power. The Spanish Hospital in La Plata has been forced to close after flood waters left it without power and destroyed diagnostic equipment. The country's largest oil refinery has also had to suspend operations, as floods caused a fire that took hours to put out. No injuries were caused, but it is unclear what the impact of the fire will be on the country's already chronic fuel shortage. President Cristina Kirchner made a surprise visit to La Plata, which is home to about one million people, where she surveyed the devastation from a helicopter. Mrs Kirchner spent much of her childhood in the city, and her mother's home has been affected by flooding. "Mom has lost her power and gas but she does not want to leave her home because the water is close to the door, and she is afraid it might start raining again," Mrs Kirchner told reporters.