Watch: Flooded towns and evacuations as Chile hit by heavy rain

What the report says

BBC World News reported that Chilean authorities have declared a constitutional “state of catastrophe” in the Coquimbo region and in Huasco province after intense rainfall caused flooding and mudslides. The emergency measure was announced following an assessment of the situation, with President José Antonio Kast saying the government had decided to activate the designation in response to the severity of the weather impacts.

According to the BBC’s account, local mayors said at least five people had died. Chile’s disaster response agency, Senapred, reported that thousands of people had been affected nationwide, with more than 99,000 people cut off and several others missing. The article also described evacuations and flooded towns, reflecting the scale of disruption in affected communities.

The BBC cited Chilean meteorological authorities as saying parts of Coquimbo experienced historic rainfall, including more than 200mm recorded at Cerro Tololo. Such totals can overwhelm drainage systems, destabilize slopes and make remote communities harder to reach, especially in areas where roads are damaged by floodwaters or debris flows.

The declaration matters because a state of catastrophe can allow authorities to mobilize additional resources and coordinate emergency response more directly as rescue, evacuation and recovery work continues. The BBC report was published 14 hours ago under its Latin America coverage and focused on the immediate consequences of the downpour, including deaths, missing people, isolation and the government’s emergency decision.