Chile storm death toll rises to five as alerts focus on the north

Chilean authorities have raised the death toll to five as a result of a powerful weather system that has battered ten of the country's sixteen regions. The latest fatality was a worker who had been reported missing in the Maule region.

The severe weather, described as one of the most significant meteorological events in recent years due to its geographical reach and intensity, is now moving northward. This shift has led to widespread disruptions in the Coquimbo and Atacama regions, both of which are under red alert. The impacts include blocked roads, interrupted electricity supplies, and forced evacuations.

Nationally, the National Emergency and Disaster Response Service (Senapred) reports that 1,950 people are affected, with the majority concentrated in the Valparaíso, La Araucanía, and Biobío regions. Additionally, 1,091 individuals are being sheltered, primarily in the Metropolitan Region. A significant number, 33,246 people, are isolated, mainly in Atacama and Coquimbo, while damage assessments are underway for thousands of homes.

Power outages have affected over 215,000 people across the country, with Valparaíso and Coquimbo experiencing the most significant disruptions. In response to the ongoing rainfall forecast, the government has extended the suspension of classes for all educational institutions in the Coquimbo and Valparaíso regions, as well as in specific areas of Atacama and the Metropolitan Region. The current weather event is linked to the El Niño phenomenon and follows a particularly warm and dry autumn.

“

Reiterate what we always inform: these figures are dynamic, they change hour by hour as municipal bodies and teams can reach the different localities to assess the damage we have already indicated.