More than 130 LDS families in six Argentine provinces were evacuated following torrential rains and swollen rivers, spawned from the weather pattern known as "El Nino."

Rivers and tributaries of the winding Parana and Uruguay rivers overflowed their banks and flooded portions of many cities in the provinces of Misiones, Forma, Chaco, Corrientes, Santa Fe and Buenos Aires during the latter part of April and the first weeks of May.In Resistencia where flooding was the most severe, many people, including 20 families of members, were evacuated from sections of the city that were flooded, and members and missionaries assisted local civil defense efforts to protect the city from the overfilled river.

At one point, waters came within 36 inches of cresting the embankment protecting the city, threatening to submerge the entire city of 330,000, including 4,200 members in two stakes. Because the land is so flat, floodwaters could have inundated hundreds of square miles beyond the city as well. Many people were evacuated as a preventative measure from low-lying areas near the river.

Missionaries from the Argentina Resistencia Mission performed valuable service for the civil defense, forming emergency squads that filled sand bags and repaired breaches in the embankment.

The presidency of the South America South Area, directed by Elder Carlos H. Amado of the Seventy, asked three things of members in the area: To remember in their prayers those who were suffering, to pray that the waters would recede and not cause further damage, and to contribute food and clothing with generous hearts.

As the flooding continued in Resistencia, leaders in Buenos Aires, under the direction of Elder Donald Bendoski, a welfare missionary, made arrangements to gather and ship food and clothing to people affected by the flooding. Four trucks containing basics for survival and medical supplies were sent. A large part of these supplies came from stakes in Buenos Aires. The rest came from cities in the interior of Argentina.

Other cities where members were evacuated and provided with food, clothing and medical supplies by the Church include:

- Goya, in the province of Corrientes, where the Parana River flooded and 15 LDS families were among those evacuated. The members were housed in Church facilities in the cities of Bella Vista and Esquina, both some 60 miles distant.

- Santa Fe and Reconquista in the province of Santa Fe, where several families from Santa Fe were evacuated to an LDS meetinghouse in nearby Rincon and more than 35 families from Reconquista were placed in the homes of other LDS families.

- El Colorado, in the province of Formosa. Five families were placed in government housing and assisted with food, clothing and medicine by the Church. In other areas of Formosa, 35 families in low-lying areas were evacuated and assisted by the Church.

- San Martin, in the province of Chaco, where 15 families were evacuated and housed in schools provided by the government, and supplied with food, clothing and medicine by the Church.

In Resistencia, where the greatest damage occurred, Pres. Carlos Fernandez of the Resistencia stake described the challenge he faced.

"In the first moments of the tragedy, when the streets were submerged by water and people were pleading for help, we had a most difficult situation. Our problems were many, and serious, but we felt the necessity of kneeling and seeking a divine guide to know what we ought to do.

"As a group of leaders in the Resistencia stake, we moved to a bend in the Parana River. There we saw the tremendous fury of the river. A strong wind was blowing, and we heard the noise from the force of the water. We prayed and shared our feelings. We asked the help of the Lord in this extremely difficult moment. We sought peace, strength and faith. After our prayer, we felt much peace and tranquility. It changed our lives as leaders.

"We quickly made decisions, implemented programs of help and prevention, and prepared for projects and activities that had not previously come to our minds.

"This experience showed us the necessity of prayer and counsel when meeting such difficulties."

The Resistencia stakes worked to be self-sufficient during this tragedy, gathering and redistributing clothing and food for those most in need, said Pres. Fernandez.

The men were dispatched for community service through the efforts of Sergio Gomez, director of Church public affairs. He worked closely with Raul Martinez, Resistencia director of civil defense.

"When a protective dike was penetrated by a chasm of water, a great stream burst right into the center of the city," said Brother Gomez. "Immediately the civil defense officials asked for help and we sent a group of brethren and missionaries. They worked all day Sunday, April 26, until midnight, and all of Monday and Tuesday until finally the chasm was filled.

"The missionaries working under mission Pres. Carlos Monroy were a great help."

He added that LDS youths received, sorted and distributed donated clothing. The Relief Society prepared and distributed food to evacuated families.

At the same time, priesthood leaders met in a regional welfare council under the direction of Pres. Oscar Fernandez of the Resistencia South stake, where they developed plans for a total evacuation.

If the situation had become extreme, all the families in the stake knew how to evacuate and where to meet, about six miles out of the city. Marking the road from the city were signs all would recognize, with the phrase, "Faith in Every Footstep." From here, members would be transported in trucks and buses to other cities of Roque Saenz Pena, Santiago del Ester, Tucuman and Salta.

Other stakes were quick to offer help, said Pres. Oscar Fernandez.

"When we started the plan of evacuation, we called the presidents of the Saenz Penz District, and the presidents of the stakes in Santiago del Estero, Tucuman and Salta to tell them about our plans," said Pres. Fernandez. "Within 24 hours we began to receive calls from them. They already had 200 lodgings prepared. What a marvelous thing!

"These brethren continued to prepare in case it was necessary to receive all the members in evacuation. We are able to say with joy that the Church in this area was self-sufficient to care for the needs of its members."

Additionally, from headquarters in Salt Lake City came three 40-foot containers with 39 tons of clothing and 10 tons of medical supplies given to humanitarian organizations and the government to assist non-members.

"The Lord answered the prayers of thousands of members in all the land with a ceasing of rains at critical moments, permitting members to organize and prepare," said Pres. Fernandez.