A powerful storm system sweeping across Chile has killed at least three people and cut electricity to nearly 590,000 customers nationwide, representing more than seven percent of the country's supply. The fatalities include a worker struck by a falling tree in the Biobío region, a man who slipped from a rooftop in La Araucanía, and a person electrocuted in Santiago.
The government of José Antonio Kast suspended classes on Friday across nine regions as the weather system, driven by three successive frontal bands entering from the south, brought winds exceeding 100 km/h and forced dozens of ports to restrict operations. More than 200 people were evacuated preventively and roughly 20 homes were destroyed or severely damaged.
Up to 250 millimetres of rain are forecast in central zones over the coming 48 hours, with the storm expected to persist through Sunday. According to Arnaldo Zúñiga, Chile has not experienced a storm of this scale and duration in two decades.