Thousands of victims in Chile due to the heaviest rains in 30 years

First modification: 06/28/2023 – 00:45

The strongest frontal system since 1993 continues to affect several regions of Chile. Since Thursday, heavy rains have caused multiple rivers to overflow in the center and south of the country, causing significant flooding and forcing the evacuation of thousands of people.

On Tuesday, June 27, the National Disaster Prevention and Response Service (Senapred) delivered its latest official balance: two people died, four are still missing, and 13,379 have been affected by the rains.

It also reported that 12,314 people had been isolated, and another 1,632 had been sheltered. At the moment, 1,488 destroyed houses were registered, 1,127 with major damage and 2,157 with minor damage in the regions with the greatest impact of the meteorological event.

At this beginning of the southern winter, these rains would have been caused by the unusually high temperatures at the tops of the Andes, where snow usually falls. This caused strong erosion of the hills and a rapid increase in river flows.

According to scientists, these abundant rainfalls would be a consequence of the effects of the El Niño phenomenon and aggravated by climate change.

Rescue operations continue

Road closures and severe flooding have forced authorities to search for and assist victims with helicopters and boats.

On the Twitter account of the Chilean Carabineros, several videos show agents rescuing trapped people, and even isolated animals.

The other objective of the authorities is to clear the routes blocked by the outflow of the rivers out of their channels. Several damaged railway bridges were also reported.

agricultural emergency

The Maule region, 280 kilometers south of the capital, Santiago, accounts for 80% of those affected, followed by the Biobío region and the Metropolitan Region.

This Tuesday, the Government then declared an agricultural emergency between Valparaíso and the Biobío region due to the affectation of thousands of hectares of cropland and water infrastructure.

“We have the challenge of getting the water system up and running for the next season. Winter is going to fly and there are many areas with damaged infrastructure,” asked the president of the National Agricultural Society (SNA), Antonio Walker, at the exit from a meeting in Santiago with the president Gabriel Boric, in which he offered the collaboration of the union to help the victims.

The Chilean president confirmed on his social networks that the Government promised to work “promptly to restore drinking water and electricity, and to counteract the harmful effects of the emergency on livestock, agriculture, and beekeeping that is taking place in the area.” ”.

With EFE, Reuters and AFP