The intense rains that fell in the center and south of Chili This Thursday, one person died and more than 4,000 people were injured, according to authorities, who declared a state of “catastrophe” in five regions of the country. “These rains are going to continue very strongly (…) we regret the first death,” said the president. Gabriel Boricin a message from Sweden, where he is making an official visit, about the “alarm”, the highest level of warning to the population issued by the Chilean Meteorological Directorate.
FOLLOW LIVE THE COURSE OF THE FRONT SYSTEM IN CHILE:
The “alarm” includes the regions of Coquimboin the north; Valparaiso and Metropolitanin the center, and O’Higgins, Ñuble and Biobío, in the south, due to unusually intense rains and winds.
LOOK: Chile: thousands of victims and chaos due to intense rains in Santiago and the center of the country
The Minister of the Interior, Carolina Toháreported that to expedite the deployment of resources A state of “catastrophe” was declared in five of these regions.
In Santiago, about 80 mm of water is expected to fall in a few hours, the same amount as expected for an entire month of June in a normal year. The rains come after more than a decade of drought in the central area of the country.
The front is accompanied by “an atmospheric river” categorized between 4-5 on a scale of maximum five, by the amount of water vapor available for precipitation, according to the Meteorological Directorate.
The last record of Senapred (National Disaster Prevention and Response Service), estimated 4,304 people affected, concentrated for now in cities in the south of the country.
The most affected area is the city of Curanilahuewhere the overflow of two rivers that flooded the streets of the place is recorded.
The authorities decreed the total suspension of classes for Santiago and four other regions of the country, and asked the population to limit their movements.
In the city of Viña del Mar, 110 km from Santiago, the authorities are alert for the possible collapse of a 12-story building and 200 apartments in the Reñaca sector.
The weekend rains caused a sinkhole 15 meters long and 30 meters deep under the property.
