Photos: State of ‘catastrophe’ as downpours hit Chile
Al Jazeera
Heavy rains have battered southern and central Chile, killing one person and causing damage to hundreds of homes as authorities declared a state of catastrophe in several regions of the country.
The person died in the southern city of Linares on Thursday when a street lamp post fell after hours-long downpours and strong winds, the SENAPRED disaster response service said.
Chile’s weather service issued the highest level of alarm, covering some 14 million of the 20 million people living in six of the country’s 16 regions, but this was later lifted as authorities said 80 percent of the storm had passed, and was headed for neighbouring Argentina.
In the latest official report, Interior Minister Carolina Toha said “the worst of this frontal system is behind us, but we cannot let our guard down”.
Prior to the arrival of the floodwaters, Chile’s central region had battled severe drought for 15 years.
