Chilean Residents Rescued as El Niño Fuels Torrential Rains
Record October rainfall causes Mapocho River to flood, prompting aerial rescues and raising concerns about ongoing severe weather.
Police in central Chile have conducted aerial rescues of residents trapped in their homes by rising floodwaters, which have inundated large areas of Talagante, a city southwest of the capital, Santiago. The Mapocho River overflowed its banks following recent torrential rains.
Santiago has recorded 74mm of rainfall in the first seven days of October, marking the wettest October in 76 years for the region, according to meteorologists. These unusually heavy downpours are attributed to the strong El Niño climate phenomenon, which is predicted to continue bringing wet weather, strong winds, and storms to the region throughout the southern hemisphere's spring.
In Talagante, police helicopters were deployed to evacuate residents and pets from areas along the Mapocho River. Many were caught off guard by the rapid rise of the water overnight. Dirt roads in the community transformed into rivers, and unlike during storms in July, evacuations had not been carried out prior to the recent heavy rainfall.
Separately, officials reported the discovery of one deceased individual in a flooded underpass in the city of San Bernardo, south of Santiago. The cause of death is pending confirmation.
