Chile's Norte Chico faces ongoing emergency with water cuts, school closures, and agricultural damage

The Norte Chico region of Chile remains under emergency conditions, grappling with persistent water shortages, widespread suspension of school classes, and considerable agricultural losses. The post-storm emergency continues to impact the Atacama and Coquimbo regions, with many areas isolated and daily activities paralyzed. In the Huasco Province and the commune of La Higuera, classes remain generally suspended. Some schools only reopened this week after being closed due to the adverse weather. The agricultural sector is particularly hard-hit. Minister of Agriculture Jaime Campos's assertion that there are "no structural damages in Chilean agriculture" has drawn sharp criticism from local officials and producers. Monte Patria Mayor Cristian Herrera accused the minister of "re-traumatizing those who have lost practically everything." He argued that declaring a state of normality implies a lack of further aid for the agricultural sector, which would be a grave error.

“

What the minister is doing is re-traumatizing those who have lost practically everything.