Heavy rains bring devastating floods to Chile by Sean Batty
At least 12 people have been killed and many others missing after heavy rains across southern parts of Chile triggered swollen rivers to overflow, and landslides to occur on Wednesday (12th July).
Ten of the twelve people killed were in one landslide alone, in the town of Chiguayante, which is in the Bio Bio region, around 300 miles south of the capital of Santiago. The government on viewing the situation in Chiguayante declared it in a state of emergency.
The intense rainfall allowed many rivers in the south of the country to burst their banks, including the Bio Bio River, which is one of Chile’s biggest waterways. Power lines and roads were cut off in some towns, rail services interrupted, and deep waters flowed through the streets of the southern city of Los Angeles and the port of Valparaiso.
Nearly 1,000 people in the south of the country have been evacuated, and are in shelter waiting for river levels to go down again.
More heavy showers are expected over the next few days before things settle back down.
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