The government in Chile has declared an emergency after flooding caused severe damage in Atacama region.
President Sebastián Piñera and Interior Minister Gonzalo Blumel visited the affected areas on 28 January, where the President declared a state of emergency for the communes of Copiapó, Tierra Amarilla, Diego de Almagro, Chañaral and Alto del Carmen.
Images from emergency teams working in the area showed towns swamped with mud and flood water around 1 metre deep. Several people were reported missing in the floods but have since been located, according to Chile’s disaster management agency (ONEMI – Oficina Nacional de Emergencia del Ministerio del Interior y Seguridad Pública). Flooding has also caused major damage to agriculture in the area.
ONEMI said that evacuations had been carried out in Alto del Carmen and Tierra Amarilla communes. One flood-related fatality was reported in Alto del Carmen. Power supply has been interrupted for around 800 people in El Tránsito in Alto del Carmen.
The region has experienced heavier than normal rainfall since mid-January, in particular over from 27 January, 2020. The Mayor of Atacama, Patricio Urquieta, said that approximately 16 mm of rain fell in El Tránsito. The relatively small amount of rainfall is significant in this otherwise dry, desert region where many areas see less than 15mm of rain in a year.
An alert for heavy rain and thunderstorms was issued by the Chilean Meteorological Directorate (DMC), warning that further heavy rain could reach daily totals of up to 15 mm. Warnings were also issued for neighbouring Antofagasta and Coquimbo regions.
Catastrophic flooding hit Atacama, Antofagasta and Coquimbo in March 2015 when 26 deaths were confirmed, 125 people reported missing and over 8,000 houses damaged or destroyed.
Social Media
https://twitter.com/alegriagonzaa/status/1222566562542030850
Una vez más Carabineros del Retén #ElTránsito resultan afectados producto de las lluvias y aluviones caídas en la zona, sin embargo con la entereza que los caracteriza se ponen de pie y habilitan su cuartel policial.#OrdenyPatria pic.twitter.com/Jg4KoF1K8n
— Carabineros Región de Atacama (@CarabIIIRegion) January 29, 2020
Retén #ElTránsito: Carabineros realiza rescate de animales atrapados por el lodo y colabora en labores de limpieza del pueblo.#LaPrevencionEsNuestraEsencia pic.twitter.com/JKfMtaO4jw
— Carabineros Región de Atacama (@CarabIIIRegion) January 29, 2020
@CarabIIIRegion junto a @Int_Atacama recorren localidades rurales al interior de la comuna de #AltodelCarmen, las cuales resultaron afectadas por las lluvias y aluviones.#LaPrevencionEsNuestraEsencia pic.twitter.com/jhLwL5VKD4
— Carabineros Región de Atacama (@CarabIIIRegion) January 28, 2020
Las intensas lluvias en Atacama han causado graves daños y el lamentablemente fallecimiento de una persona.
Ahora rumbo a Alto del Carmen para monitorear en terreno la situación y coordinar labores de prevención y ayuda a los damnificados.
— Gonzalo Blumel (@gblumel) January 28, 2020
El Equipo de @MDSAtacama y Seremi @LuisMAtacama se encuentra en terreno en la Zona de Catástrofe en comuna de #AltodelCarmen para aplicación la Ficha Básica de Emergencia FIBE para entregar ayuda rápidamente a las familias afectadas. pic.twitter.com/XdlcC61Kru
— Sebastián Sichel (@sebastiansichel) January 29, 2020
