Floods hit Santiago as Kast declares emergency in Las Condes

Heavy rain triggered flash floods and mudslides across Santiago on Thursday, sweeping cars through streets, flooding homes and forcing evacuations. At least six people were injured, authorities said, as President José Antonio Kast declared an emergency in the eastern district of Las Condes and emergency crews carried out rescues. Floodwaters and mud surged through residential areas in Las Condes, one of the hardest-hit parts of the capital. Video described in reports showed vehicles, including a bus, being carried by the water; passengers climbed onto the bus roof for safety. The Mapocho River overflowed, prompting evacuation orders, while roads became impassable waterways. Firefighters said they had rescued or evacuated more than 1,000 people. Authorities said the injured included a one-year-old child who suffered broken bones. In Las Condes, 11 residents of a care home were moved to safety, and two private clinics were flooded, according to reports. The full extent of damage and the status of all evacuations were not established in the material available. Kast’s emergency declaration for Las Condes gave government agencies greater powers to respond, reports said.