Chile declares disaster zone in Santiago after floods, mudslides injure six

SANTIAGO — Chile declared part of its capital Santiago a disaster zone on Friday after torrential rains triggered flash floods and mudslides, injuring at least six people, sweeping away vehicles and forcing more than 1,000 residents to evacuate or seek rescue.The disaster declaration covers Las Condes, an affluent suburb of Santiago, where heavy rainfall sent torrents of water and mud through residential streets, flooded homes and left roads impassable.The designation allows public agencies to implement extraordinary measures to coordinate emergency assistance, assess damage and accelerate recovery efforts.Heavy rain on Thursday caused the Mapocho River to overflow, worsening flooding across affected neighborhoods as emergency crews responded to calls for help.Las Condes Mayor Catalina San Martin said the area had received 14.4 centimeters (5.7 inches) of rainfall in recent days, approximately nine times the average for October.She warned that the unusually heavy rainfall had saturated the ground, increasing the risk of further flooding and landslides.At least six people were reported injured, including a one-year-old child who suffered fractures.Firefighters rescued or evacuated more than 1,000 people as emergency teams worked to assist stranded residents, clear debris and restore access to damaged neighborhoods.Chile’s National Disaster Prevention and Response Service also issued a red alert for 10 municipalities in mountainous and foothill areas of the Santiago Metropolitan Region, warning of the possibility of additional landslides.Authorities urged residents to follow official safety instructions as emergency personnel continued assessing damage to homes, roads and other infrastructure.Crews were deployed to remove mud and debris from streets, reopen blocked routes and assist families whose properties were damaged.The government said the disaster zone declaration would facilitate coordination among public agencies and help deliver assistance to affected households as recovery operations continue.