Chile rains leave 13 dead, 7 missing, authorities say

SANTIAGO: The heavy rains that have hit much of Chile have left 13 people dead ​and seven missing, authorities said on Tuesday, while ‌the government said it would seek sanctions on electricity distributors for sustained power outages.

Storms have struck from the country’s ​central region down to the south, causing ​widespread flooding, road closures and damage to ⁠homes.

“Waterways, streams, and riverbanks have been weakened by ​the rainfall over the past few days; there is ​still a risk of rising water levels in some of them,“ said Alicia Cebrian, head of Chile’s Senapred emergency office.

Cebrian ​added that, in addition to the casualties, 2,281 ​people have been displaced, 81 homes have been destroyed and ‌2,761 ⁠have sustained major damage, while 87,000 people remain without electricity.

The minister of the interior, Claudio Alvarado, said the government plans to initiate disciplinary proceedings against ​electricity distribution companies ​for delays ⁠in restoring service.

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Lessons were suspended in schools across several municipalities in four regions.

Although ​most of the major copper and ​lithium ⁠mining companies are located in the northernmost part of the country, which has not been affected by the ⁠bad ​weather, some operations in the ​region have had to temporarily scale back their activities due to ​the conditions.