Shock in Córdoba: Two Homeless Men Found Dead Amid Polar Cold Snap

The polar cold snap sweeping the country has already claimed its first fatalities in Córdoba. Two homeless men were found dead this Friday in different parts of the city, and investigators do not rule out that sub-zero temperatures were the cause. The discovery shocked residents and put authorities on alert, who fear the death toll could rise if the extreme cold persists.

The first body was found in a vacant lot in the Ameghino Norte neighborhood, on Avenida Aviador Pedro Zanni at 3300. The victim’s brother, also homeless, alerted police after finding him without vital signs. According to police sources, the body was in an advanced state of decomposition, making identification difficult. «He was lying there, alone, in this cold. It’s a tragedy,» said a local resident.

Hours later, around 3:40 p.m., the second body appeared in the Villa Bustos Anexo neighborhood, on Lola Mora Street at 2600. The victim was lying on a mattress in a vacant lot. There were no signs of violence, according to initial police reports. His identity has not yet been established. Both cases remain under judicial custody while autopsies are performed to determine the exact causes of death.

The province of Córdoba has been experiencing an extreme cold snap since Wednesday, with minimum temperatures around 2.5 degrees. The National Meteorological Service (SMN) maintains a yellow alert in much of the territory, and an orange alert in the departments of Río Cuarto and La Carlota, where the health risk is even greater. «The cold gives no respite. For those living on the streets, this is a death sentence,» warned a social worker who preferred not to give his name.

The weather phenomenon is not limited to Córdoba. The polar cold snap also affects the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area (AMBA) and at least 15 provinces, including Salta, Jujuy, Catamarca, Tucumán, Santiago del Estero, Chaco, Formosa, Santa Fe, La Rioja, San Juan, San Luis, Misiones, Corrientes, Entre Ríos, Mendoza, La Pampa, Neuquén, and sectors of southeastern Chubut. In all of them, temperatures remain below normal, with lows in some cases near zero degrees.

Given this scenario, the SMN issued a series of recommendations for the population: avoid prolonged exposure to cold, dress in layers of light clothing, keep moving to preserve body heat, maintain adequate but safe heating, avoid sudden temperature changes, stay hydrated, and do not consume alcohol. It also asked not to smoke in enclosed spaces and to reinforce care for at-risk groups such as children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with chronic diseases.

Meanwhile, the bodies of the two victims remain in the judicial morgue awaiting autopsy results. Investigators are seeking to determine whether extreme cold was the determining factor in their deaths, which could lead to a criminal complaint against the state for failure to provide assistance. «We cannot allow this to continue. Each death on the street is a failure as a society,» said a social leader who was present at the discovery site.

The polar cold snap will continue at least through the weekend, according to SMN forecasts. Provincial and municipal authorities announced the opening of temporary shelters and the distribution of blankets and hot food for homeless people. However, assistance efforts are insufficient given the magnitude of the crisis. «There are many people sleeping outdoors. We need more resources and more political will,» demanded a volunteer from an NGO that assists the homeless.

The tragedy of the two men found dead in Córdoba is just the tip of the iceberg of a tragedy that repeats every winter in Argentina. While the country freezes, all eyes are on the authorities, who will have to answer if it is confirmed that extreme cold was responsible for these preventable deaths.

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