Senapred Declares Yellow Alert for Santiago Amid Heavy Rains
- On Tuesday, October 7, 2026, the National Office for Disaster Prevention and Preparedness (Senapred) declared a Yellow Alert for the Santiago Metropolitan Region due to heavy rainfall, localized...
- Senapred elevated the region's status from an Early Preventive Alert to a Yellow Alert in coordination with the Metropolitan Regional Presidential Delegation.
- The National Geology and Mining Service (Sernageomin) issued a technical report warning of a high probability of aluvions, debris flows, and landslides in the coastal cordillera, valley, and...
On Tuesday, October 7, 2026, the National Office for Disaster Prevention and Preparedness (Senapred) declared a Yellow Alert for the Santiago Metropolitan Region due to heavy rainfall, localized flooding, and mass movement risks. The severe weather system has driven water accumulation past historical monthly averages, swelling the Mapocho and Molina rivers and prompting widespread emergency responses across the capital.
Yellow Alert Declared Across the Metropolitan Region
Senapred elevated the region’s status from an Early Preventive Alert to a Yellow Alert in coordination with the Metropolitan Regional Presidential Delegation. The designation allows authorities to mobilize resources progressively to handle escalating threats. According to Senapred, the severe rainfall caused street flooding and blocked underpasses across multiple communes by late Tuesday evening. The agency also confirmed a mass movement incident in Melipilla and the activation of ravines in San José de Maipo.
The National Geology and Mining Service (Sernageomin) issued a technical report warning of a high probability of aluvions, debris flows, and landslides in the coastal cordillera, valley, and precordillera zones, while rating the danger as low in the high cordillera. Meanwhile, the Meteorological Directorate of Chile maintained active alerts for moderate-to-heavy precipitation, normal-to-moderate winds in mountain passes, and potential thunderstorms accompanied by hail and strong gusts.
Santiago Records Historic October Rainfall Totals
Chilevisión reported that Santiago accumulated nearly 40 millimeters of rainfall during the storm, surpassing the normal 12 millimeters that typically fall throughout the entire month of October. Meganoticias meteorologist Alejandro Sepúlveda noted that the month is tracking as the fourth-wettest October since 1950, potentially making it the rainiest October in 75 years.
Senapred issued a Yellow Alert specifically for Lo Barnechea due to the rapid rise of the Molina River. The General Directorate of DGA monitoring station recorded water levels crossing the yellow threshold with an upward trend. Lo Barnechea Mayor Felipe Alessandri stated that municipal teams are closely monitoring the Arrayán estuary alongside the Molina, San Francisco, and Mapocho rivers. In central Santiago, the Mapocho River experienced a heavy volume increase fueled by nearly 70 millimeters of rain in high cordillera feeder areas, though authorities confirmed the water remains contained within its bed.
Flooded Underpasses Cause Urban Disruptions and Power Outages
Meganoticias and Transporte Informa RM documented significant urban disruptions, including water accumulation exceeding one meter in depth in Cerrillos behind Mall Plaza Oeste, where municipal crews rescued a family trapped inside a truck. San Bernardo concentrated the heaviest underpass closures, with transit blocked at Colón, Ruta 5, O’Higgins, Barros Arana, San José, Las Acacias, and La Divisa. Additional flooding affected Lo Espejo along General Velásquez and Route 5.
The electrical grid also sustained damage. Power outages across the Metropolitan Region left more than 13,100 customers without electricity by Tuesday night, with Calera de Tango, Melipilla, and Providencia registering the highest impact. Non-functioning traffic lights caused widespread traffic congestion along major urban arteries.
Heavy Snowfall Closes Mountain Passes to Nonresidents
In the precordillera, lower temperatures brought unexpected heavy snowfall down to areas like El Volcán in the Cajón del Maipo. Meganoticias field reporting confirmed that vehicles descending from the high zone were heavily caked in snow, surpassing initial forecasts that predicted snow only at much higher elevations. Carabineros established a control point at the San Gabriel Retén, shutting down transit toward the high mountain passes and restricting access strictly to local residents and municipal emergency vehicles.
Meteorological forecasts indicate that the heaviest rains will persist through the night and early Wednesday morning, with a slight decrease expected after 06:00 hours, though post-frontal instability could bring renewed showers, thunderstorms, and hail later in the day.