Chile is continuing recovery efforts after devastating storms triggered widespread flooding and landslides across several regions, leaving at least 13 people dead, seven others missing, and tens of thousands stranded as authorities race to restore access to isolated communities and essential services.

The severe weather system, which began on July 15, brought unusually heavy rainfall to the typically arid regions of Coquimbo and Atacama, causing rivers to overflow, roads to collapse, and widespread damage to homes and infrastructure.

According to Alicia Cebrián, director of Chile's National Disaster Prevention and Response Service (SENAPRED), authorities have confirmed 13 fatalities while search operations remain underway for seven missing people. Rescue teams, supported by the military and emergency services, continue to reach communities cut off by floodwaters and mudslides.

Government officials said more than 60,000 people remain isolated after washed-out roads severed access to numerous towns. Around 2,800 homes have been destroyed or severely damaged, leaving thousands of families displaced. Swollen rivers and unstable terrain continue to hamper rescue and relief operations.

President José Antonio Kast has declared a state of emergency in the hardest-hit areas, allowing authorities to mobilize additional military personnel, emergency resources, and logistical support for rescue efforts and the restoration of critical infrastructure.

Recovery operations have focused on reopening blocked highways, restoring electricity and drinking water, and delivering food, medical supplies, and emergency shelter to affected communities. Authorities said approximately 87,000 customers remain without electricity, while schools in several municipalities have suspended classes because of flooding and infrastructure damage. The government has also announced plans to investigate electricity distribution companies over delays in restoring power.

Emergency officials cautioned that although rainfall has begun to ease, the danger has not passed. Saturated riverbanks, unstable hillsides, and the continued risk of flash flooding pose ongoing threats to residents and emergency workers. Authorities have urged people in affected areas to avoid unnecessary travel and comply with official safety instructions.

The storms have disrupted transportation and economic activity across central and northern Chile, although the country's major copper and lithium mining operations have largely avoided severe damage. Some mining sites have nevertheless reduced operations because of hazardous weather and transportation difficulties.

Meteorologists described the event as one of the most severe weather systems to affect parts of Chile in recent years, with extraordinary rainfall striking regions that rarely experience such intense precipitation. Authorities warned that the full extent of the damage may not be known until isolated communities are fully reached and recovery operations advance. (ILKHA)