In brief
Rushing rains have flooded the Mapocho River, swamping the town of Talagante near Santiago. Police helicopters have rescued several residents and pets from rising waters that turned nearby dirt roads into rivers. The floods come during a record October, the wettest on record for Santiago in 76 years, attributed to the 2026‑2027 El Niño outbreak. Authorities have confirmed one death in an underpass in San Bernardo while the rest of the region braces for another round of intense weather.
Heavy rains triggered the Mapocho River to burst its banks, flooding the city of Talagante southwest of Santiago.
Police helicopters pulled dozens of residents and pets to safety as the river swelled overnight.
Chile recorded its wettest October in 76 years, with more than 70mm of rainfall in the first week of the month.
Experts warn that the year‑long El Niño will keep the region facing wet, windy, and stormy conditions this spring.
A fatality in a flooded underpass in San Bernardo remains under investigation.
Unlike last July, officials did not evacuate the riverside neighbourhoods beforehand, turning ordinary roads into rushing rivers.
