(Santiago de Chile) Thousands of people were evacuated in Chile on Sunday following the overflow of the Rio Maule caused by heavy rains in the south of the country which left two dead, according to the Minister of the Interior.
In her latest official report, dated Sunday evening, Interior Minister Carolina Toha confirmed that two people had died in floods and that six others were still missing. Its balance sheet also reports 9,814 isolated people, 4,077 victims and 2,054 others who have been sheltered.
On Sunday, the swelling of the Maule river (center), the level of which had already doubled a few hours before the publication of the report, was closely scrutinized by the authorities. They also ordered the evacuation of 1,800 people living near its shores in the city of Constitucion, some 400 km south of the capital, Santiago (center).
The heavy rains hitting the south of the country are the worst rainfall ever recorded in Chile according to the authorities. In particular, they caused the overflow of the two main rivers that bathe the capital, the Maipo and the Mapocho, before flooding several localities in the south.
Aerial images broadcast by local TV channels showed major flooding in Cotauco and Licantén, two towns south of Santiago.
The heavy rains that started on Thursday were concentrated in mountainous and foothill areas, where snow usually falls, leading to a rapid increase in river flow.