(Photo by Anadolu)
SANTIAGO, Chile – Chile declared part of its capital a disaster zone on Friday, October 9, after torrential rains triggered flash floods and mudslides, injuring at least six people and forcing widespread evacuations.
The declaration covers Las Condes, a suburb of Santiago, allowing authorities to implement emergency measures, coordinate relief operations, and provide assistance to affected residents.
Heavy rainfall on Thursday sent torrents of water and mud through streets, swept away vehicles, flooded homes, and left several roads impassable.
The Mapocho River also overflowed, worsening flooding in affected communities.
Las Condes Mayor Catalina San Martin said the area recorded 14.4 centimeters of rainfall in recent days, approximately nine times the average October precipitation.
Authorities warned that saturated soil increased the risk of further flooding and landslides.
At least six people were injured, including a one-year-old child who suffered fractures, according to local media reports.
Firefighters rescued or evacuated more than 1,000 people as emergency crews responded to flooded neighborhoods and cleared debris from roads.
Chile’s National Disaster Prevention and Response Service also issued a red alert for 10 municipalities in mountainous and foothill areas of the Santiago Metropolitan Region due to the threat of additional landslides.
Emergency personnel continued assessing damage to homes and infrastructure while working to restore access to affected communities.
Authorities urged residents to follow official safety advisories as recovery and relief operations continued.
