Several Dead, Missing in Severe Rainstorm in Chile

A severe rainstorm has battered Chile, leaving at least 13 people dead and seven others missing. The storm has impacted the country's central region down to the south, causing extensive flooding, road closures, and significant damage to homes.

Authorities reported that 81 homes were destroyed and an additional 2,761 sustained major damage. The disaster has displaced 2,281 individuals, while 87,000 people are currently without electricity due to damaged infrastructure and washed-out roads. President Jose Antonio Kast declared a state of emergency in the affected areas on Monday to facilitate response efforts.

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We have 13 dead and seven missing.

Alicia Cebrian, director of Chile's SENAPRED national emergency service, confirmed the casualty figures and damage assessments. "We have 13 dead and seven missing," she told reporters. Despite the easing of rainfall, Cebrian warned that risks persist due to swollen riverbeds and ravines.

"Waterways, streams, and riverbanks have been weakened by the rainfall over the past few days; there is still a risk of rising water levels in some of them," she cautioned. School classes have been suspended in several municipalities across four regions as the country grapples with the aftermath of the extreme weather.

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Waterways, streams, and riverbanks have been weakened by the rainfall over the past few days; there is still a risk of rising water levels in some of them.