Argentina's President Mauricio Macri (R) looks out of a helicopter during a flight over flood-hit areas in the city of Concordia, Entre Rios province, Argentina, Dec 27, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

Bad infrastructure

In northern Argentina, around 20,000 people have also had to abandon their homes, the government said on Saturday.

"We are going to have a few complicated months, the consequences will be serious," said Ricardo Colombi, the governor of the Corrientes region, after flying over the worst affected areas with national Cabinet Chief Marcos Pena.

Pena said national government aid was already on its way and the new president, Mauricio Macri, who took office earlier this month, intended to make improving infrastructure a priority so that such flooding did not occur again.

"Argentina has a very big lack of infrastructure," he said. Macri will visit the flooded areas on Sunday.