In brief
A torrent of rain turned the Mapocho River into a raging torrent, submerging homes in Talagante, a town 35 km southwest of Santiago. Police helicopters belatedly airlifted dozens of residents and pets from the flooded banks. The disaster, part of the 2026‑27 El Niño cycle, has left at least one death in San Bernardo and threatens repeat flooding as the southern‑hemisphere spring approaches.
Police in central Chile have airlifted several residents to safety after rising floodwaters left them trapped in their homes.
The sudden deluge caused the Mapocho River to burst its banks, inundating large parts of Talagante, a town 35 km (22 mi) southwest of the capital, Santiago.
Santiago registered 74 mm of rainfall in the first seven days of October, the wettest October in 76 years for the region, according to meteorologists.
Authorities warned that the ongoing El Niño will likely keep delivering unusually wet weather, powerful winds and storms to the region during the coming southern‑hemisphere spring.
One person was reportedly found dead in a flooded underpass in San Bernardo, south of Santiago, though the cause of death is still unconfirmed.
In Talagante, police used helicopters to rescue people and pets living on the riverbanks who had been caught by the fast‑rising waters overnight. Dirt roads turned into rivers that were not evacuated ahead of the heavy downpours, unlike the July storms.
Climate experts have warned that the 2026‑27 El Niño is likely to cause major shifts in weather patterns worldwide, intensifying droughts in some areas and floods in others. In central Chile, above‑average rainfall is expected to continue.
