On Tuesday, a small tornado tore through central and southern Chile, leaving more than 20 people isolated and destroying at least 11 homes in the Bío Bío region. The storm caused severe damage with winds classified as an EF-0, reaching speeds between 105 and 137 kilometers per hour. The government has announced plans to mobilize additional resources, personnel, and equipment to control the situation as rains continue to fall throughout the country.
Fabiola Martínez, a resident whose home was damaged by the tornado, emphasized the urgent need for help from her municipality due to upcoming rains. She stated that she is particularly concerned about the risk of new catastrophes given that rains have been falling continuously in Chile for several days now. President Gabriel Boric visited the region on Wednesday to assess the damage caused by the recent storms, which led to one death, four injuries, and thousands of people affected.
Bío Bío has been on red alert for meteorological events since June 11 due to a high probability of storms, tornadoes, landslides, and mudslides. In Punta Arenas, the extreme south of Chile, a warning was issued due to the loss of connectivity in different areas and anticipated temperature drops.
As a result of last week’s storms in various regions of Chile, seven regions were declared disaster zones out of sixteen. The National Disaster Prevention and Response Service (Senapred) has reported that there are currently 24 people isolated in Bío Bío due to heavy rainfall causing flooding and landslides in different areas. Rains have been falling continuously in Chile since Monday morning leading to widespread destruction across several regions prompting emergency response measures being put into action.
The new frontal system forecasted for tomorrow will bring more storms and snowfall to Chile with temperatures dropping significantly in some areas leading authorities to prepare for potential power outages as well as extreme weather conditions.
Overall it is important for residents across Chile to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions during extreme weather conditions as we continue to experience continuous rainfall throughout the country.
