Police helicopter residents and pets from floods in central Chile
Police in central Chile used helicopters to airlift residents and pets from homes surrounded by fast-rising floodwaters in Talagante. The flooding followed torrential rain that caused the Mapocho river to burst its banks, while officials also reported one death in a flooded underpass elsewhere south of Santiago; its cause has not been confirmed.
Santiago received 74mm of rain in the first seven days of October, the area’s wettest start to the month in 76 years, meteorologists said. Forecasters expect unusually strong El Niño conditions to bring above-average rainfall, storms and powerful winds to central Chile during the southern hemisphere’s spring, with wider global effects including increased risk of droughts and floods.
- Helicopters rescued residents and pets in flooded Talagante.
- Santiago recorded its wettest first week of October in 76 years.
- El Niño is expected to bring more wet and stormy weather.
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Central Chile is experiencing severe flooding after torrential rain caused the Mapocho river to burst its banks. Homes in areas around Talagante near Santiago have been surrounded by rapidly rising floodwaters, and at least one death has been reported in a flooded underpass. Emergency services have been forced to carry out urgent evacuations of residents and pets.
The rainfall has been extraordinary for the time of year. Santiago received 74 millimetres of rain in just the first seven days of October, making it the wettest start to the month in 76 years. This sudden volume of water has overwhelmed local drainage systems.
The extreme weather is linked to El Niño conditions, a climate pattern that significantly affects global weather systems. Meteorologists expect these conditions will bring above-average rainfall, storms and powerful winds to central Chile throughout the southern hemisphere's spring, with increased risk of droughts and floods in other parts of the world.
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Originally published by BBC World as “Residents airlifted to safety after flooding in central Chile”.