Chile emergency flood response

In mid‑July 2026, a powerful frontal weather system swept across central and southern Chile, bringing heavy rain, flooding and landslides that killed three people and damaged infrastructure. President José Antonio Kast responded by visiting the Biobío region, overseeing army deployments in San Bernardo and Air Force assets at Pudahuel, and activating regional emergency funds. Ministries and municipal authorities set up shelters, cleared drainage channels and warned vulnerable campamento residents of evacuation risks.

Two weeks later, after returning from Peru, President Kast travelled to Copiapó to chair a technical emergency table with regional delegates, the head of National Defense and Senapred officials. The meeting presented an updated damage report: over 500 people affected, two deaths, dozens of homes destroyed or severely damaged, and many isolated residents. Kast used the forum to criticize former President Gabriel Boric’s earlier abroad trips during climate crises, stressing the need for the president’s direct presence in the ongoing reconstruction effort.