Chile's central region hit by new frontal system bringing heavy rain and winds

A new frontal system is moving into central Chile, with the Metropolitan Region of Santiago expected to receive more than 30 mm of rain and mountain winds up to 100 km/h, according to Meteored Chile and the European Centre for Medium‑Range Weather Forecasts. Forecasts also call for heavy rain in Curicó (about 14 mm) and strong gusts of up to 52 km/h.

The southern regions of Los Ríos, La Araucanía and Los Lagos have been warned of snow accumulations of up to 8 cm, which could affect roads and travel. In Ñuble, the Punilla area remains under a red river‑level alert for the Lonquén River, with emergency teams assisting around 300 families and repairing infrastructure.

Longaví’s mayor, Jaime Briones Jorquera, coordinated an early response that limited damage to a few flooded neighborhoods, delivering supplies and sandbags to affected households. In Osorno province, July recorded the wettest month in 48 years with 330 mm of rain, causing river overflows and red alerts.

The regional government has outlined a reconstruction plan for 21 communes in Ñuble, targeting the repair of 971 km of roads, bridges and homes. The plan cites 1,210 people affected, 200 damaged houses and six destroyed, and calls for priority support from the Ministry of Public Works.