Santiago, Chile received 74 millimeters of rain in the first seven days of October, making it the wettest October period in the area in 76 years, meteorologists said. Las Condes mayor Catalina San Martín said nearly six inches (about 150 millimeters) had fallen in recent days — nearly nine times the normal amount of rainfall expected in October — leaving the region "totally saturated."
Flash flooding and mudslides have battered the outskirts of Santiago since Thursday, October 8. The Mapocho River burst its banks, inundating Talagante, about 35 kilometers (22 miles) southwest of the capital, where dirt roads turned into rivers. In San Carlos de Apoquindo, at the foot of the Andes, videos show muddy torrents dragging people through the streets and sweeping vehicles away; a bus carrying passengers was swept away, forcing riders to cling to its roof, according to The Sun's reporting.
Officials said one person was found dead in a flooded underpass in San Bernardo, south of Santiago, though the cause of death has not been confirmed. At least six people were injured in Las Condes. Firefighters have evacuated more than 1,000 residents for their safety, nearly 12,000 households are without electricity, and dozens of homes have been damaged or flooded. Forecasters had expected the worst to be over by Thursday, but the rain continued into Friday.
The Chilean government has declared a disaster zone for the commune of Las Condes, and the Chilean Army has been deployed to assist in the emergency response and cleanup. Police used helicopters to airlift residents — and their pets — trapped by fast-rising waters overnight in Talagante. Unlike during storms in July, Talagante had not been evacuated ahead of this downpour; riverside residents were caught off guard as the river surged.
Meteorologists blame the extreme weather on an unusually strong El Niño climate pattern, which they warn could bring unusually wet weather, powerful winds and storms to the region throughout the Southern Hemisphere's spring. The World Meteorological Organization fears the storms may rank among the most severe since records began in 1950, with the most intense El Niño activity forecast for December.