North Chile floods : 25 dead, 100 still missing and 2700 homeless

25 people have been killed, 100 still missing,  and over 2,700 people made homeless, by disastrous floods in Atacama Desert (world’s dirtiest desert), Antofagasta and Coquimbo, in the northern regions of Chile after thunderstorms brought the equivalent of 7 years of rain in just 12 hours on March 26.  Heavy rainfall and subsequent river breaking its banks, flash floods and landslides knocked out communication lines and power which destroyed infrastructure and made roadways impassable. 

Between Thursday and Friday about 24 mm fell on the city of Antofagasta, an area that typically receives about 1.7 mm of rain in a year, according to the Chilean meteorological service.

President Michelle Bachelet visited the flood affected areas on Saturday and promised financial aid to help recovery efforts.

Southern Peru was also affected by recent heavy rain. Intense rainfall in Chosica triggered deadly mudslide on March 23which killed 8, injured 23, missing 6 and153 houses have collapsed.