Ñuble Region hit by suspected tornado causing power outages

A strong meteorological phenomenon, potentially a tornado, struck the Ñuble and Biobío regions of Chile late at night, causing structural damage and widespread power outages.

The event, which occurred around 21:30 near the Cholguán substation, produced intense wind gusts particularly in the Yungay commune. The Chile Geoscientific Network has noted that the event may correspond to a tornado, though this requires further on-site evaluation.

In the Ñuble region, significant power outages were reported in Yungay (5,954 customers), El Carmen (3,963), Pemuco (2,390), and San Ignacio (1,405). In the Biobío region, the Tucapel commune reported 7,336 customers without electricity. Emergency teams, technical personnel, and Carabineros have been deployed to assess structural damage and downed power lines.