Three dead as storms flood parts of Chile
Heavy rain and winds have displaced hundreds, cut power to about 257,000 people and disrupted schools and mining operations.
By Lucas Ferreira · Science & Environment Writer
2 min read
Heavy rain and strong winds have killed at least three people in central and southern Chile, while floods have forced hundreds into shelters, Al Jazeera and Reuters reported. The storms have disrupted power, schools, roads and mining operations as authorities prepare for more rain in the central part of the country.
President Jose Antonio Kast said Friday that he was travelling to the Biobio region, one of the areas hit hardest, to assess the damage and the official response. In a social media post from the road, Kast said there was heavy rain but that the route remained passable, and urged people to take care.
Chile’s disaster relief agency, SENAPRED, said 466 people remained in shelters, including some residents moved as a precaution. The agency also said 158 people had been cut off by rising water, most of them in the Coquimbo region.
Alicia Cebrian, the head of SENAPRED, said seven people had been injured. The agency issued evacuation orders for the Campamento Ribera del Rio area near Talagante, citing rising river levels.
Al Jazeera and Reuters reported that more heavy rain was expected Friday in Chile’s central zone. The continuing forecast added pressure on emergency services already responding to flooded communities and damaged infrastructure.
Power cuts, school closures and a mine shutdown
The storms have affected daily life across several parts of Chile. Schools in some areas suspended classes on Friday, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters.
About 257,000 people remained without electricity, most of them in the south, the outlets reported. State-owned miner Codelco said it had halted surface operations at the Andina mine because of the storms.
The deaths occurred in separate incidents linked to the severe weather, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters. One victim was a labourer clearing a road in the southern town of Negrete.
A second person died after falling while cleaning a roof in Temuco, the outlets reported. A third person was killed by an electric shock in Santiago, Chile’s capital.
Kast pledged institutional support for people affected by the flooding, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters. The storms are among the early major emergencies of his presidency after he took office in March following a 2025 campaign centred on a hardline anti-crime platform.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.