There have been deadly landslides and floods that occurred near Chile's capital, Santiago. The said natural disaster has been brought by climate change and global warming.
The landslide has killed three people over the weekend. It has also cut water supplies for about four million people in the capital. Roads and bridges have been destroyed making another 373 people remain cut off, the National Emergency Office said. The rains have swept away roads and bridges, said Ricardo Toro, director of Chile's National Emergency Office. BBC has reported that it has rained in the Andes Mountains instead of snow.
It has brought mud, rocks, and trees rapidly flowing down the Maipo River. The water utility in Aguas Andinas SA has made treatment plants but it was only destroyed. It has been the third incident that a natural disaster this big has happened to Chile.
It was because of temperatures rising causing global warming and climate change. The water has fall as rain and not snow in the mountains, Ricardo Toro explained. "Chile has to understand that this could repeat itself," Toro added. "We need the infrastructure to face these situations that have become a new reality. Global warming is a reality".
After the bridges and roads were cut off and destroyed, emergency teams are working on the ground to rebuild it. They are doing their best to reconnect isolated individuals and families to the capital again. The government is also re-establishing the water supply wherever possible, said the Chilean President Michelle Bachelet in Twitter in Spanish. According to Bloomberg, many people have been hoarding water supply bought from supermarkets. Authorities are also giving drinking water for free to the affected areas.
Schools, restaurants, and other businesses were ordered to stay closed as things are still a bit unstable. South America has been experiencing stronger and stronger rains and floods due to climate change. Just recently, a wildfire has occurred between January and this month. More are expected because of global warming.
