Deadly Chilean Storm Floods Arid Regions, Blocks Copper Highway

Prolonged winter rains in Chile’s normally arid north-central regions have killed at least 10 people, blocked the country’s main highway and flooded agricultural hubs, with damage expected to run into the hundreds of millions of dollars.

The rain, which is finally easing in some areas, swelled rivers and triggered mudslides that severed parts of Route 5, the Chilean leg of the Pan-American Highway. The highway is a key artery for moving personnel and supplies to the country’s massive copper mining industry. Tens of thousands of people remain cut off in isolated villages in the mountainous Coquimbo and Atacama regions.

President José Antonio Kast declared a state of catastrophe across Coquimbo and Huasco province in Atacama on Monday, granting emergency powers to respond to the flooding and damage. Government emergency alerts are still warning residents to evacuate as mudslides and sinkholes spread.

What makes the event unusual is its timing. “Severe storms and flooding are not unprecedented in Chile’s history,” said Miguel Fernández, a meteorologist at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso. “What makes this event unusual is that it comes after nearly 16 years of severe drought.” The storm also coincides with the onset of El Niño, a recurring Pacific warming trend that brings extreme weather to different parts of the world.

Parts of the Coquimbo region have already received more rain than they typically get in a full year. The region is one of Chile’s main agricultural hubs, producing grapes, avocados and citrus. The National Agriculture Society, the country’s main agricultural chamber, said it is monitoring potential disruptions to citrus and avocado harvests and damage to irrigation systems, especially for small farmers.