Cars Swept Away as Muddy Waters Hit Downtown... Over 1,000 Rescued

[Anchor]

Triggered by one of the strongest El Niño phenomena on record, torrential rain pounded the Chilean capital of Santiago, sending swollen riverwaters surging into the downtown area. With currents strong enough to sweep away moving buses, more than 1,000 people were trapped and narrowly rescued.

Here is a report from reporter Jang Hun-gyeong.

[Reporter]

Las Condes, on the outskirts of the Chilean capital of Santiago.

Yellowish muddy water engulfs the roads, and vehicles in motion begin to be swept away by the rapid currents in various places.

A panicked driver hastily reverses the car.

[Driver: Back up, back up.]

Passengers scream as they find themselves stranded, unable to move while the fierce currents wrap tightly around the bus.

People are hanging precariously onto the roof of another bus as it floats away.

Over the past few days, rainfall reaching nine times the October average poured down, causing the Mapocho River, which cuts across Santiago, to overflow and inundate the city center.

So far, at least six people are reported to have been injured, and more than 1,000 people have been rescued.

[Karina Carmi / Family Member of Rescued Individual: My child called me and said, "Mom, I'm in the car and the mud has risen up to my waist. I think I'm going to die."]

However, with many people still isolated inside buildings or vehicles, the exact casualties have not yet been tallied.

[Klaus / College Student: The university is still full of students who don't know what to do. It is really difficult for them to leave in this situation.]

This flood was caused by continuous heavy rain stemming from the El Niño phenomenon, in which sea temperatures in the eastern Pacific rise abnormally. With this year's El Niño being the strongest since 1950 and expected to peak in December, additional damage is a growing concern.

While a state of emergency has been declared in the Las Condes area, the highest-level alerts and school closure orders have also been issued for 10 other regions at risk of landslides.

(Video Editing: Lee So-young)

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