Chile declares yellow alert for Santiago region over heavy rainfall Chile declares yellow alert for Santiago region over heavy rainfall SHOTLIST:....SANTIAGO, CHILE (OCT. 9, 2026) (ANADOLU - ACCESS ALL)....1. SANTIAGO, CHILE - OCT. 9, 2026: Chile s government declared the eastern Santiago district of Las Condes a disaster zone on Friday after torrential rains triggered flash floods and mudslides, leaving at least six people injured and forcing evacuations.....The declaration allows public agencies to adopt extraordinary measures to coordinate emergency assistance, assess damage and support recovery efforts, according to local media reports.....The heavy rainfall on Thursday sent torrents of water and mud through streets, swept vehicles away and inundated homes in Las Condes, an affluent suburb of the capital.....The Mapocho River also overflowed, while flooding made roads impassable and prompted emergency crews to respond to calls for help.....The mayor of Las Condes, Catalina San Martin, said 14.4 centimeters (5.7 inches) of rain had fallen in recent days, around nine times the average October rainfall, leaving the ground saturated and raising the risk of further flooding and landslides.....At least six people were injured, including a one-year-old child who suffered fractures, according to local reports.....Firefighters rescued or evacuated more than 1,000 people as emergency teams worked to assist residents, clear debris and restore access to affected areas.....Chile s National Disaster Prevention and Response Service also declared a red alert for 10 municipalities in mountainous and foothill areas of the Santiago Metropolitan Region because of the risk of further landslides.....Authorities urged residents to follow official safety instructions as emergency services continued to assess the damage and respond to potential new incidents.....The flooding affected homes and infrastructure across the area, with emergency crews working to remove mud and debris from streets and help residents whose properties were damaged.....The disaster comes during the Southern Hemisphere s spring, when intense rainfall can trigger flash floods and landslides, particularly in areas where the ground has become saturated.....The government said the disaster-zone declaration would help coordinate public services and provide assistance to affected households as recovery efforts continued.