The death toll from severe storms battering Chile has climbed to at least 13, with seven people still missing, the national disaster agency Senapred confirmed, after the system initially killed three and cut power to nearly 590,000 customers.
President José Antonio Kast activated a constitutional state of catastrophe covering the Coquimbo region and Huasco province, as more than 100,000 residents found themselves isolated by floodwaters and destroyed roads. The storms have displaced roughly 2,400 people and left over 2,600 homes with major damage, while around 87,000 customers remain without electricity. Precipitation at Cerro Tololo exceeded 200 millimetres.
Interior Minister Claudio Alvarado warned that risks persist due to swollen riverbeds even as rainfall is expected to ease. Authorities have suspended classes across municipalities in Valparaíso, Huasco, Coquimbo, Copiapó, San José de Maipo and Tiltil.