Tornado-like winds cause damage, power outages in Ñuble

Tornado-like winds tore through parts of Yungay in Chile's Ñuble region overnight Saturday, leaving a trail of destruction. The powerful gusts ripped off roofs, downed power lines, and damaged an industrial plant. The chaotic weather event unfolded amidst an intense electrical storm, complete with heavy rain and hail, which also swept across other areas of Ñuble and the neighboring Biobío region.

The storm's impact was particularly severe near the Cholguán electrical substation, where an explosion was followed by widespread power outages. In Yungay alone, over 11,000 customers lost electricity, affecting nearby communes of El Carmen and Pemuco as well. Emergency services, including firefighters, police, and municipal teams, are actively assessing the full extent of the damage.

Cristián Matus, the acting regional director of Senapred, confirmed the deployment of emergency personnel. "During this night, due to the meteorological event that is still developing in the commune of Yungay, winds with tornadic characteristics have caused roof damage, falling power lines, and other damages that are being evaluated," he stated. While no injuries have been reported thus far, concerns remain for the rural locality of Campanario, where power and communication disruptions are hindering damage assessment.

Ñuble remains under a regional preventive alert due to the ongoing weather phenomenon, which includes forecasts for electrical storms, hail, and strong local winds. The alert also warns of the possibility of waterspouts forming along the coast. Emergency personnel will continue their work through the night to survey affected areas and update damage reports.

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During this night, due to the meteorological event that is still developing in the commune of Yungay, winds with tornadic characteristics have caused roof damage, falling power lines, and other damages that are being evaluated both by firefighters, police, and municipal emergency teams.