Severe floods force families in central Chile to evacuate

Already reeling from weeks of intense weather, communities across central-southern Chile were hit by another severe weather system in late August that caused devastating flooding. Local authorities reported that flooding forced more than 30,000 people to evacuate their homes and left thousands of families in rural communities without basic services like electricity.  

Starting in late June, several regions in Chile experienced the heaviest rainfall in three decades. The intense rainfall was part of a severe weather system that mixed strong rainstorms and intense heat. 

WCK teams quickly mobilized across the region to identify areas of need and found that communities in the Maule region were the most heavily impacted. We established a central meal distribution site in Licantén where flood water reached the roofs of many homes. Our teams also delivered meals door-to-door to families in more isolated towns near Licantén. We were able provide meals within hours of arriving in Chile thanks to our partnership with Fundación Gastronomía Social—a nonprofit that develops collaborative approaches to improve food security, social inclusion, and environmental health.

Harsh weather conditions have impacted Chile all year. In February, WCK’s Relief Team was on the ground supporting families and first responders as more than 200 heat-wave fueled wildfires burned across the country.