SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) 鈥� Weeklong rainstorms blamed on El Nino that have battered have killed at least 10 people as authorities raced on Tuesday to reach more than 100,000 cut off by flash floods in what has been one of the country鈥檚 worst weather disasters in decades.
Torrential rains and strong winds continued to lash the usually arid and Coquimbo, where the government of declared a state of emergency on Monday.
Authorities said the storms have also injured 16 people and displaced over 4,000 others, with 1,031 staying in emergency shelters. Thousands more have been left without electricity or drinking water.
The rainfall has so far destroyed 81 homes and damaged more than 20,000. Chile鈥檚 national disaster response service, Senapred, has sent out hundreds of evacuation alerts to 10 out of the country’s 16 regions.
Swollen rivers and flooded roads have stranded 104,271 people, Senapred reported, warning that overwhelmed rivers will remain a threat even when the rainfall eases.
鈥淩iver levels do not necessarily rise at the same time precipitation is falling,鈥� said Alicia Cebri谩n, the head of Senapred. 鈥淲ater accumulates in the foothill areas, which means river levels can continue rising even hours after the storm system has passed.鈥�
Meteorologists attribute the deluge in Chile to the , a powerful, phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean that drives temperatures higher and exacerbates extreme weather events. El Ni帽o is typically associated with heavier rainfall in parts of southern South America.
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