Chile Floods Sear Coquimbo Region, State of Catastrophe Declared

Sun Sep 06 2026 03:22:31 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Severe rain in Chile’s Coquimbo and Huasco flooded towns, triggerring mudslides and prompting a state of catastrophe.

Heavy rainfall in Chile’s Coquimbo region and the province of Huasco has triggered massive floods and mudslides, leading officials to declare a state of catastrophe. At least five people have been reported dead and around 99,000 residents have been isolated or missing. Meteorological data recorded more than 200 mm of rain at Cerro Tololo, a historic figure for the area. President José Antonio Kast activated the constitutional emergency after assessing the damage. Rescue teams and shelters have been mobilised while search efforts continue.

Heavy rains have swept across Chile’s Coquimbo region, flooding towns and sending a wave of severe mudslides through the countryside. Local officials in the province of Huasco have declared a state of catastrophe that extends over the entire region.

Mayors in the area reported at least five deaths. In total, the national disaster service, Senapred, estimates more than 99,000 people were isolated, while several others remain missing across the country.

Meteorological authorities confirmed a historic amount of rainfall, with over 200 mm recorded at Cerro Tololo – the highest level ever logged in that locale.

In response, President José Antonio Kast announced the activation of the constitutional state of catastrophe after a full assessment of the emergency. Emergency shelters have opened and search teams are actively retrieving missing residents while rescue operations continue across affected areas.