Heavy rain across the Santiago region of Chile has turned streets into fast-moving waterways. Floodwaters surged through neighborhoods, swept cars along roads and forced residents to evacuate.
Videos from the area show just how quickly conditions changed. Vehicles were carried by the current as if they were toys. Drivers lost control, and one man could be seen clinging desperately to a truck while floodwaters tore through the streets.
The Associated Press reported that heavy rains drenched Chile’s capital and the surrounding region on Thursday. The rainfall triggered mudslides, flooded homes and swept cars through streets. Authorities said at least six people were injured.
President José Antonio Kast declared a state of emergency for Las Condes, a wealthy suburb east of Santiago. The move gave government agencies additional power to respond as torrential rain turned key roads into impassable waterways.
Catalina San Martín, the mayor of Las Condes, said the area had received 14.4 centimeters, or 5.7 inches, of rain in recent days. That was about nine times the average October rainfall. She described the area as “totally saturated.”
The Mapocho River, which runs through Santiago, overflowed and prompted evacuation orders. Chile’s disaster-response agency placed 10 other districts on high alert because of the risk of additional landslides. Schools were also ordered to close Friday.
The storms had already caused damage earlier in the week. A few dozen homes across central Chile were damaged, and nearly 12,000 customers in Santiago lost power, officials said. The downpours were expected to ease Friday.
No deaths were reported Thursday. Among the injured was a 1-year-old child who suffered broken bones, according to officials. Firefighters said they had rescued or evacuated more than 1,000 people.
The footage accompanying the report captures the danger on the ground. One surveillance video shows floodwater surging through Santiago and carrying vehicles down flooded roads.
Watch the surveillance footage:
Other clips from the scene show a mudslide beginning in Las Condes, floodwaters sweeping away a bus and powerful currents carrying vehicles through the area. Another video was filmed from a wall near the San Carlos de Apoquindo area of Las Condes.
The videos offer a clear reminder of how quickly rising water can overwhelm streets and vehicles. What looks like an ordinary road can become a dangerous current in moments. In Santiago, the heavy rain left residents facing flooded homes, blocked roads, evacuations and a major emergency response.
WATCH: Cars are swept away, drivers lose control, and one man desperately clings to a truck as flash floods tear through the streets of Chile's capital.
New surveillance video shows the frightening moment floodwaters surge through Santiago, carrying vehicles down flooded roads… pic.twitter.com/1pg3dGTCff
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