Heavy rains and flooding that killed five people and displaced thousands in south-central Chile have collapsed road and rail bridges, closed the world's largest underground copper mine and left many in the capital without drinking water, the government said on Friday.
Many schools remained closed in Santiago and elsewhere after floodwaters churned up sediment at water treatment plants, while several rivers burst their banks farther south, deluging thousands of homes.
"More than seven rivers have overflowed," said Juan Saldivia, undersecretary of public works. "We had a very complex situation overnight, and Route 5 (Chile's main north-south highway) has been cut in three places."
Landslides caused by the rains also forced the shutdown of the giant El Teniente copper mine, owned by state miner Codelco.
Codelco said it could take 48 hours to clear rock, earth and floodwaters blocking access to the mine, which lies 50 miles (80 km) south of Santiago and was recovering from disruptions from the latest in a series of strikes by subcontractor workers.
Television footage showed a collapsed railway bridge in the wine-producing region of Maule, about 125 miles (200 km) south of Santiago, which forced the suspension of rail services to the south.
The government said 8,000 homes had been affected and that 316 people were stranded across the country. About 500 people were in shelters while most of around 15,000 forced from their homes were living with friends and family.
Of the five people killed earlier in the week by the flooding, two died in landslides, one was struck by a boulder and another was hit by a falling tree. One man died of hypothermia.
RAINS FILL RESERVOIRS
Streets turned into rivers in some areas.
