Chile declared a preventive state of emergency across 10 of its 16 administrative regions as authorities warned that an exceptionally severe weather system linked to El Niño could bring life-threatening conditions, widespread flooding and significant property damage.
President José Antonio Kast’s government issued the emergency declaration ahead of a powerful frontal system expected to trigger flooding, overflowing rivers and landslides in the Andes foothills.
Chile’s Meteorological Directorate forecast that the system, which already has reached the country’s southern regions, will persist for five consecutive days, bringing heavy rainfall, strong winds, snowfall in the Andean foothills and hazardous coastal conditions.
Central and southern Chile are expected to face three consecutive frontal systems, including a Category 5 atmospheric river, the highest level on the scale used to measure these corridors of concentrated atmospheric moisture. In response to the multi-hazard event, authorities issued the country’s highest meteorological alert.
Meteorologists warned that Santiago alone could receive between 4 and 6 inches of rain during the event, more than half the precipitation the capital typically receives from four to six major winter storms.
According to records from Santiago’s main weather station, the city averages 11.27 inches of precipitation annually. The approaching system could deliver between 35% and 52% of the city’s average yearly rainfall within just a few days.
Metropolitan Gov. Claudio Orrego said the situation could become even more challenging because the region has experienced an unusually dry year.
“The metro area is expected to get [5.5 to 8 inches] of rain over four days, with winds reaching about [45 mph], and the freezing level has climbed above [11,500 feet]. That adds up to a difficult situation for the region. We expect the power companies to respond appropriately to what’s coming,” Orrego said.
Chile’s National Geology and Mining Service, known as Sernageomin, warned of a high probability of mudslides, landslides, rockfalls and flooding.
Kast said the Armed Forces had been placed on preventive standby to strengthen the government’s emergency response capabilities.
“The Armed Forces have ordered their personnel into preventive readiness so they will be available if a response is required,” Kast told Radio BioBio.
As an additional precaution, authorities suspended classes at preschools and schools in the affected areas.
Officials also urged residents to prepare for possible disruptions to essential services, including drinking water and electricity. One of the government’s main concerns is the resilience of the power grid after severe storms in August 2024.
During that event, wind gusts exceeding 74 mph damaged critical infrastructure, leaving more than 80,000 households without electricity for as long as six days.
Carolina Martínez, director of the Coastal Observatory at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, warned that the storm’s effects could continue even after rainfall subsides.
“We should not only be concerned about the rain, but also about the behavior of the ocean, the response of beaches, unstable coastal cliffs, hillsides reacting to higher river flows at river mouths and intense or concentrated rainfall,” she said.
Martínez said the storm could cause localized flooding, shoreline changes, wave overtopping, increased pressure on wetlands and river mouths, along with sinkhole risks in the most vulnerable areas.
The preventive state of emergency will remain in effect through Tuesday.
(UPI)
