Residents airlifted to safety after flooding in central Chile
The Mapocho river has burst its banks after an unusually large amount of rain fell in recent days.
Residents airlifted to safety after flooding in central Chile
Police in central Chile have flown several residents to safety after rising floodwaters trapped them inside their homes.
Heavy rain in recent days caused the Mapocho river to overflow its banks, inundating much of the city of Talagante, 35km (22 miles) south-west of the capital, Santiago.
Meteorologists said Santiago recorded 74mm of rain in the first seven days of this month, making it the wettest October for the area in 76 years.
They warned that this year’s unusually strong El Niño climate pattern is likely to keep bringing unusually wet conditions, strong winds and storms to the region during the southern hemisphere’s spring.
Officials said one person was discovered dead in a flooded underpass in the city of San Bernardo, south of Santiago, though the cause of death has not yet been confirmed.
In Talagante, police used helicopters to rescue people and pets living along the banks of the Mapocho who were caught off guard by the rapidly rising water overnight.
Dirt roads became rivers in the riverside community, which, unlike during July’s storms, had not been evacuated before the heavy rainfall.
Climate experts have warned that the 2026-2027 El Niño is likely to bring major changes to weather patterns worldwide, worsening droughts in some places and floods in others.
In central Chile, it is expected to bring above-average rainfall.