Over 1.000 people have been affected by a weather emergency that hit Chile from Friday to Sunday, and hundreds have been displaced, the National Emergency Office (One) reported on Monday.
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According to ONE, about 1,500 people remain isolated, and 36.000 residents continue without power; at least 16.000 of them live in the Metropolitan region. The San Jose de Maipo municipality is the hardest-hit area and continues a red alert over landslides.
El Melocotón y San Alfonso, entre otros pueblos de la precordillera en Santiago de Chile, han sido brutalmente afectados por deslizamientos de tierras tras frente de mal tiempo que no es habitual en verano. No hay víctimas fatales, pero si cientos de desplazados @ConexiontlSUR pic.twitter.com/h4N65o5nZW
— Paola Dragnic (@PaoladrateleSUR) February 1, 2021
Specialists from the National Center for Analysis at the Meteorological Directorate of Chile told local media outlets that the rains are the most severe recorded during January in the last 150 years. Chile's Interior Minister Rodrigo Delgado pointed out that "it is a rather unusual weather front for this time of year," as this kind of pourings rarely occurs in central Chile during this period.
Over 38 areas in the Metropolitan are under yellow alert as the authorities warn of a possible water-cut "due to turbidity in the Maipo and Mapocho rivers," the ONEMI's latest alert explains.
"During Monday, February 1, probable electrical storms are foreseen in sectors of the foothills and mountain ranges of the Metropolitan Region, in sectors of valleys, foothills and mountain range from the O'Higgins Region to Biobío, and in sectors of foothills and mountain ranges of the regions of La Araucanía and Los Ríos," the ONEMI forecasted.
#FromTheSouth News Bits | 2 million doses of Sinovac’s vaccine arrive in Chile. Authorities informed that the vaccination will begin on February 3rd and will be directed towards medical personal in the first stage. pic.twitter.com/MxsplkLwte
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) January 28, 2021