Heavy Rains Cause Mudslides, Flooding in Chile's Capital
Torrential downpours in Santiago trigger mudslides, sweep cars through streets, and flood homes and hospitals, injuring at least six.
Heavy rains have drenched Chile’s capital, Santiago, and the surrounding region, triggering mudslides that swept cars through streets, flooded homes, and forced residents to evacuate. Authorities reported at least six people injured.
President José Antonio Kast declared a state of emergency for Las Condes, a wealthy suburb east of Santiago. This declaration grants government agencies more authority to respond to the crisis. The district's mayor, Catalina San Martín, stated that 14.4 centimeters (5.7 inches) of rain had fallen in recent days, which is approximately nine times the average for October, leaving the area “totally saturated.”
The Mapocho River, which flows through Santiago, overflowed its banks, leading to evacuation orders in some areas. Chile’s disaster-response agency placed 10 other districts on high alert for potential landslides and ordered schools to close on Friday. Earlier this week, rainstorms had already damaged several dozen homes across central Chile and left nearly 12,000 customers in Santiago without power.
Officials stated that no deaths were reported as of Thursday. Among the injured was a 1-year-old child who sustained broken bones. Firefighters reported rescuing or evacuating more than 1,000 people.
The intense rainfall is occurring as a powerful El Niño weather pattern gains strength. El Niño, a recurring warming of tropical Pacific waters, disrupts global rainfall patterns and often leads to wetter conditions in the Southern Hemisphere during spring. The World Meteorological Organization indicated on Thursday that this year’s El Niño is expected to peak in December and could rank among the most intense recorded since at least 1950.