Emergency in Chile: at least 4 dead and nearly 25,000 homeless due to heavy rains and floods

The historic frontal system that since Saturday affects the center-south zone of Chili It has so far left four people dead, nearly 21,519 houses destroyed and more than 42,000 people isolated, as reported on Wednesday by the National System for Disaster Prevention and Response (Senapred).

A 73-year-old woman became the quarter fatal victim of climatic eventafter falling into a canal in the commune of curepregion of Maule, one of the most affected by the phenomenon. His death is added to that of an 86-year-old man who would have fallen into a river in the region of nublesome 400 kilometers south of the Metropolitan regionwhere the capital is located, as well as a firefighter and a driver.

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“We will continue to be present on the ground to expedite the presence of the State in the places affected by this emergency. We are mobilizing all the resources to reach every corner and every family that passes through difficult moments”published the Chilean president, gabriel boricduring this morning.

On the other hand, the Ministry of Education decreed the suspension of classes in 70 communes of the country, including the Metropolitan region and the regions of O’Higgins, Ñuble, Maule and Biobío.

Residents comfort each other in the flooded town of Cabrero, in the central Bío Bío region of Chile. (Photo by Guillermo SALGADO/AFP) (GUILLERMO SALGADO/)

The heavy rains have caused the suspension of cargo and passenger rail operations in the southern zone, in addition to the flooding of roads and highways. In this context, the Government deployed more than 600 military personnel which, supported by air and land resources, began various tasks to control the emergency.

In addition, the government decreed an agricultural emergency in O’Higgins, Ñuble, Maule and Biobíoa measure that the authorities explained will facilitate the transfer of resources to the affected families.

Boric already announced on Monday the declaration of Constitutional State of Catastrophe these four regions.

This is the second episode of intense rainfall that the austral winter leaves in the center-south zone of the country after the one that occurred at the end of June, which affected thousands of people.

In the opinion of the experts, they are partly a consequence of the effects of the phenomenon of The boy who comes back with a historical force and unprecedented.

Source: Elcomercio