Coquimbo region in Chile mobilizes officials, military and rescues amid severe frontal rain system

The severe frontal rain system that struck central Chile has prompted a large-scale emergency response in the Coquimbo region and neighboring areas. Municipal authorities have deployed more than 200 officials, set up a call center and an operations hub, and are prioritising assistance similar to a hospital emergency service. Deputy Carolina Tello has asked the government to declare a state of catastrophe for Coquimbo to accelerate aid, military support and resource allocation.

The Chilean Navy and Army have dispatched units across the affected provinces, including humanitarian aid teams, coastal patrols and rescue operations. A Carabineros helicopter has carried out over 50 rescues in isolated rural zones, while the army sent a modular field hospital to the town of Ovalle to maintain medical care while local facilities are repaired. Classes were suspended for a day in Coquimbo, the Huasco province, and the continental part of the Valparaíso region. Additional military personnel are working to clear roads, distribute sandbags and support local municipalities throughout the ten regions impacted by the rain.

Authorities continue to monitor river levels, with alerts issued for potential overflows in places such as Tierra Amarilla. The coordinated deployment of civil, police, military and health resources aims to protect residents, restore connectivity and mitigate further damage.