At least three people died and another 76 were injured after a storm hit Chile, according to the country’s government. The storm began last Wednesday afternoon (15) and the rain is expected to continue until next Sunday (19).
The rain, the storm surge and winds above 100 km/h caused flooding, left more than half a million people without power and led to the restriction of operations in dozens of ports. According to authorities, this is the largest storm in magnitude and duration to hit the country in the last 20 years.
The Minister of the Interior, Claudio Alvarado, lamented in a press conference “the death of three people during the course of this emergency”. One of the victims died after a tree fell while working to remove debris from a highway.
Another victim died after falling from a roof while cleaning gutters. The third died after suffering an electric shock from a power pole. The government also reported that five people were injured, most in the south of the country.
In the Biobío region, around 500 kilometers south of Santiago, the surf invaded houses close to the coast. The current swept people away and scattered belongings across the streets.
More than half a million people were left without power because trees fell onto the power grid. According to the Ministry of Energy, there were “590,824 customers without electricity supply, which represents 7.3%” of the country.
The waves and winds led dozens of ports to preventively restrict part of their operations. The government mobilized emergency teams in different regions to prevent further damage and suspended classes in the affected regions.
Source: www.brasildefato.com.br
