Chile issues yellow flood alert for Lanco and Mariquina as river levels rise

The National Service for Disaster Prevention and Response (SENAPRED) declared a Yellow Alert for the communes of Lanco and Mariquina in the Los Ríos Region after the Leufucade River’s flow reached the yellow threshold. The alert, coordinated with the Regional Presidential Delegation, activates staged resource deployment and ongoing hydrological monitoring to protect residents, property and the environment. Authorities urged the community to stay informed through official channels and follow emergency guidance.

Separately, a United Nations report introduced the concept of “water bankruptcy” to describe Chile’s chronic drought. The analysis notes a 15‑year water deficit, with some basins experiencing up to 70% shortage, a 25% decline in the Maipo River’s flow over two decades, and a 65% loss of the Echaurren Norte glacier since 1955. In the Biobío region, around 31,000 people rely on water delivered by trucks. The report calls for a coordinated strategy that combines green (nature‑based) and gray (infrastructure) solutions, emphasizing basin‑by‑basin planning and national governance to secure water for agriculture, industry and future growth.