The Maule region procurator’s office in Chile confirmed on Wednesday (12) the first death due to a frontal system of heavy rain and intense winds affecting the central-southern region of the country, which has so far left 482 people homeless and 1,500 houses damaged. The victim is a person in the Palmilla area of the city of Linares, who was helping to remove a fallen tree from the power lines and “whose light pole collapsed, hitting them,” the Maule procurator’s office said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
At the moment, the Chilean government has already issued evacuation orders due to rivers overflowing, flooded streets, landslides, and blocked roads in various areas of the country. “Between the Biobío and Maule regions, we have a total of 1,500 damaged residences. Among them, 1,300 have minor damage and 200 have more significant damage. We have 482 homeless people, 479 isolated, and we do not want this situation to be repeated in the metropolitan region, as this frontal system is advancing north,” explained government spokesperson Minister Camila Vallejo at a press conference on Wednesday morning.
During the afternoon, the Chilean government also announced the total suspension of classes for Thursday (13) and Friday (14) in the O’Higgins, Metropolitan, Valparaíso, and Coquimbo regions, while in the Biobío region, classes were suspended starting from Wednesday.
Authorities warn that this frontal system can accumulate up to 80 millimeters of precipitation in short periods of time, along with winds gusting up to 90 km/h and possible thunderstorms. In turn, the Chilean Navy reported that abnormal tides will occur from Faro Corona in the Lakes region to the northern city of Arica, including the Juan Fernández archipelago. Authorities estimate that these conditions could last until Saturday (15).
The news of the first rainstorm-related death in Chile is a tragic reminder of the dangers posed by extreme weather events. As climate change continues to impact our planet, it is crucial for governments and communities to be prepared for these types of situations. The evacuation orders and school closures are necessary steps to ensure the safety of the population in the affected regions.
In times like these, it is important for people to come together and support each other. Emergency response teams are working tirelessly to assist those in need, and it is vital to follow their instructions to stay safe. Let us keep the victims of this storm in our thoughts and offer help wherever possible to alleviate the impact of this natural disaster.
