The Chilean authorities have updated the balance of victims due to the storm of the last few days, raising the number of deceased to thirteen as a result of the torrential rains and floods, with special incidence in the northern zone of the country. The meteorological episode also leaves so far 16 injured and seven people are still missing.
In its most recent report, the National Disaster Prevention and Response Service (SENAPRED) details that 3,300 affected individuals have been counted, of which more than 1,300 have had to leave their homes and are housed in designated shelters. Likewise, more than 63,250 people remain "isolated" in the areas most affected by the storm.
According to the agency, one hundred homes have been completely destroyed and more than 3,500 show significant damage, which worsens the emergency situation in the affected communities.
The director of SENAPRED, Alicia Cebrián, explained in an appearance before the media that, in addition to the material damages, the storm has caused massive interruptions in basic supplies. More than 87,000 people are without electricity supply in the regions of Atacama and La Araucanía, with most of the outages concentrated in Coquimbo and Valparaíso.
In parallel, more than 176,000 residents of Coquimbo lack drinking water, to which more than 5,000 affected by the same situation in the Atacama region are added, which has forced the reinforcement of the distribution of aid and essential resources.
Cebrián indicated that "Today a second plane departed for the Atacama Region, with nine tons of humanitarian aid, totaling a little more than 150 tons of aid already sent to the regions and in the process of being delivered to the various municipalities," according to statements collected by the Chilean newspaper 'La Tercera'.
The Chilean Executive decided on Monday to declare a "state of catastrophe" in the north of the country due to the floods caused "by the impact of the frontal system that has generated isolations, overflow of rivers and channels, flooding, interruption of basic services, and restrictions on routes in both areas." This measure allows for the mobilization of more resources and speeds up the response to the humanitarian and infrastructure crisis resulting from the storm.