SAE alert system

A flash flood swept through the Las Condes district of Santiago de Chile, with dramatic footage showing a man clinging to a truck as floodwaters surged through streets. Authorities face questions over why the SAE emergency alert system was not activated. Officials are now weighing measures such as containment dams, mesh barriers and radar to prevent a repeat disaster, as El Niño raises the risk of further flooding. In football, Deportes Copiapó beat Cobreloa to move into the promotion playoff zone.

Heavy rains triggered a mud and water surge that swept away cars and buses in eastern Santiago de Chile, with the districts of Las Condes among the worst hit. Images of streets turned into raging torrents are circulating widely, and questions are mounting over why the SAE emergency alert system was not activated before the flood hit.