Chile suspends school classes across dozens of communes as frontal system triggers red alerts and infrastructure damage

The Chilean Ministry of Education ordered the suspension of classes on July 22, 23 and 24 in dozens of communes in the Atacama, Coquimbo and Valparaíso regions after a powerful frontal system brought heavy rain, flooding and landslides. The closures affect public, subsidised and private schools from preschool to secondary level. A red alert was declared in four Valparaíso communes (Limache, Quintero, Concón and Quillota) because of the risk of the Aconcagua River overflowing.

The storm left more than 400 school facilities in the Coquimbo region with structural damage, prompting the regional education authority to prioritise repairs and coordinate with the Valparaíso regional government to assess schools in Limache, Villa Alemana and Quilpué. Technical visits aim to restore safe learning environments and enable the resumption of classes where possible. In Quillota, municipal schools reopened on July 23 after inspections and cleaning.

The government also approved funding for bus transport to relocate students from the Valentina Letelier school to a distant lycée in Calama, addressing the displacement caused by the emergency. Overall, tens of thousands of students are affected by class suspensions, school damage and transport arrangements as authorities monitor the evolving weather and flood risks.