CHILE · POLITICS
Key Facts
- —The country Chile, the world’s top copper producer, governed by conservative José Antonio Kast.
- —What happened Kast ordered a disaster-zone decree for Las Condes on Thursday evening.
- —The numbers Six people injured, dozens of homes affected, no deaths reported.
- —The wider alert Red alert for 10 Santiago-area communes; Friday classes suspended there.
- —Still open Damage totals, decree text and the exclusion zone’s exact limits.
A sudden flow of mud through one of Santiago’s richest districts has handed Chile’s government a major urban emergency.
Chile’s President José Antonio Kast declared a Las Condes disaster zone on Thursday, 8 October, after a mudslide hit eastern Santiago. At least six people were injured, and dozens of homes, cars and a private clinic were hit.
Las Condes is the heart of Santiago’s business district, where many US and foreign companies keep their Chilean offices. The decree is meant to speed up state help in an October that La Tercera calls the rainiest on record.
Kast Orders the Las Condes Disaster Zone
Kast announced the measure on his official social media accounts on Thursday evening. “He instruído decretar zona de catástrofe a la comuna de Las Condes,” he wrote, ordering the decree.
He said the decision followed a meeting of the regional emergency committee, Cogrid, led by Interior Minister Claudio Alvarado. The ministers of public works, defence, health and energy also took part.
“Estamos enfrentando una emergencia de activación muy rápida en Las Condes,” Kast said, describing an emergency that developed very quickly. According to Meganoticias and BioBioChile, the aim is to free up all available resources for the response.
What the Mudslide Hit
The flow of mud, rocks and water, called an aluvión in Chile, began around 5 p.m. in San Carlos de Apoquindo. It ran down General Blanche, Francisco Bulnes Correa and Quebrada Honda towards Los Dominicos, La Tercera reported.
Presidential delegate Germán Codina, the central government’s representative in the Santiago region, put the number of injured at six. Regional governor Claudio Orrego said there were no reports of missing people or deaths.
Clínica San Carlos de Apoquindo, run by the Catholic University network, suspended emergency and outpatient care for 8 and 9 October. Mayor Catalina San Martín said many homes were flooded and rescuers were on their way to people trapped inside.
The same hillsides burned on 31 December 2025, in a fire covering more than 1,000 hectares, about 1,900 American football fields. La Tercera and BioBioChile reported that debris from the burned slopes fed Thursday’s flow.
Troops, Machinery and an Exclusion Zone
Alvarado announced a perimeter that the public may not enter, according to BioBioChile. Army and armed forces teams, extra Carabineros police and the health system have been activated, he said.
Heavy machinery from the Ministry of Public Works and the municipality is clearing blocked roads. Senapred, the national disaster agency, called a technical meeting for Friday morning.
Senapred declared a red alert for 10 communes around the capital, from San José de Maipo to Colina. The Ministry of Education suspended Friday classes in all of them, La Tercera reported.
What It Means for You
US travellers and expats in Santiago should avoid eastern Las Condes and the foothill ravines until officials lift the red alert. Follow Senapred, the Las Condes municipality and the US Embassy in Santiago for updates.
For US investors, it is a reminder of climate risk in Chile’s richest urban area, where insurers face fresh claims. The government also delayed signing its reconstruction law into force, planned for Friday.
What Is Not Known
The decree had not been published in the Diario Oficial, Chile’s official gazette, by Friday morning. Its exact powers, funding and duration are therefore not yet public.
There is no official count of damaged homes, vehicles or evacuated residents. Insured losses and the precise limits of the exclusion zone have not been released.
What Comes Next
Senapred meets on Friday, 9 October, to assess weather reports and the risk of new flows. Crews will keep clearing streets while the 10 communes remain on red alert.
No curfew has been announced. The decree’s text in the official gazette will show which powers and funds it unlocks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a disaster zone in Chile?
It is a government decree for an area hit by a major emergency. The government says it speeds up procedures and the use of state resources.
Where is Las Condes?
Las Condes is a wealthy commune in eastern Santiago, below the Andes. It holds much of the capital’s business district and many foreign company offices.
Was anyone killed in the Las Condes mudslide?
No deaths or missing people had been reported by Friday morning. Officials said six people were injured.
Is it safe to travel to Santiago now?
Most of the city is operating, but 10 communes are on red alert. Avoid eastern Las Condes and follow official instructions.
Why did the mudslide happen?
Intense rain hit hillsides burned by a large fire at the end of 2025. Officials said the burned ground helped trigger the fast flow.
Sources: Ministerio del Interior, Chile; La Tercera; BioBioChile; BioBioChile (exclusion zone); Meganoticias (all accessed 9 October 2026).
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief