Deadly storm cuts water supply to 4 million in Chile

At least three people are dead and 19 others missing after heavy rains struck Chile over the weekend during the country’s usually dry summer months, causing mudslides and water outages in the South American nation, officials said yesterday.

The rains, which caused rivers to overflow their banks in mountain valleys near Chile’s capital, Santiago, had isolated 373 people, the Onemi emergency service said.

The Maipo River which provides much of Santiago’s drinking water has become contaminated, forcing the authorities to cut off drinking water to four million people.

Authorities said the water supply from the Maipo river would be cut to most of the city until the water flowed clear.

Aguas Andinas, the company that provides water to the capital, said rains were making repairs difficult. People stocked up on bottled water.

“Emergency teams are working on the ground to connect with isolated persons and re-establish the water supply wherever possible,” Chilean President Michelle Bachelet wrote on Twitter.

In the O’Higgins region, south of Santiago, a 12-year-old girl was killed when a landslide swept away the car in which she was travelling.

In the San Jose de Maipo valley, directly above the city, emergency crews had to clear the roads of debris before residents could evacuate to lower, less mountainous ground.

Officials postponed the start of the new school term, while officials ordered restaurants and businesses to close.

It was the second major flooding event to hit central Chile in the past year.

Last April, heavy rains battered the San Jose de Maipo valley, killing one and shutting production at some of the largest copper mines in the world.