A violent mudslide swept through the port city of Tocopilla in Chile's Antofagasta region on Tuesday, causing widespread damage across multiple neighborhoods as a severe frontal weather system unleashed intense rainfall across the north.
The mudslide, triggered by streambed activation in the Coastal Mountain Range quebradas, descended with force at kilometer 162 of Route 1 North, carrying water, mud, rocks, and debris through city streets. Video footage recorded by residents showed the powerful current dragging parked vehicles downhill and inundating streets and homes. Route 1 between Taltal and Tocopilla was blocked by the mudslide, with Carabineros establishing preventive traffic closures at multiple points along the highway.
Chile's National Service for Disaster Prevention and Response (Senapred) declared a red alert Tuesday for the communes of Antofagasta, Taltal, Mejillones, and Tocopilla, upgrading from a previous yellow alert. The declaration allows authorities to mobilize all necessary and available resources to manage the meteorological event. The National Geology and Mining Service (Sernageomin) assessed the likelihood of mudslides and rockfalls as very high in coastal sectors including Tocopilla and Taltal, as well as in the coastal mountain range and Antofagasta.
Senapred ordered preventive evacuations in seven neighborhoods: Almirante Riveros, O'Higgins, Pacífico Norte, Tres Marías, Cinco de Octubre, 18 de Septiembre, and Huella Tres Puntas. The agency activated the Emergency Alert System (SAE) to send evacuation notices to residents' mobile phones. Affected sectors included Pacífico Norte, Tres Marías, Huella Tres Puntas, Colón, La Patria, and parts of the old town center, with water and mud entering homes and alleyways throughout these areas.
Accumulated rainfall exceeded 25 to 30 millimeters between Monday and Tuesday in Tocopilla, according to local reports. The Chilean Meteorological Directorate maintained active weather alerts including intense precipitation warnings for the coast at Tocopilla and Taltal through Tuesday, with moderate to strong precipitation alerts extending into Wednesday, and moderate snowfall warnings in the precordillera south of the Escondida mining sector.
By Tuesday, Senapred reported 60 people sheltered in the Antofagasta region with 21 homes under damage assessment. In Tocopilla, 140 people were sheltered at facilities including Gabriela Mistral School and the F-6 facility. In Taltal, one death was recorded from a traffic accident caused by the meteorological conditions.
Power outages affected approximately half the municipality of Tocopilla, with connectivity problems also reported. Access routes remained interrupted due to debris and rockfall. Municipal teams, firefighters, and volunteers worked to clear roads and assist residents. The Ministry of Public Works deployed machinery to the area, while routes B-710 and B-702 were closed preventively due to rock falls.
The Chilean government had extended a declaration of Preventive Emergency across regions from Arica to Coquimbo on Monday, with Interior and Security Minister Claudio Alvarado announcing deployment of national authorities to strengthen coordination with local emergency teams. Authorities expressed particular concern for 56 mining camps, especially those located at the foot of ravines that could be affected by water flows.
The National School Assistance and Scholarship Board (Junaeb) deployed personnel to affected zones and activated food service at seven shelters—five in Antofagasta and two in Tocopilla—benefiting more than 200 people. The Municipality of Iquique intensified distribution of plastic sheeting and activated two emergency shelters to assist affected residents in that region.
The severe weather system also affected other northern areas. In Tarapacá, connectivity was interrupted on routes 16, 504, and A-750, with six people sheltered preventively in Alto Hospicio and seven others reported as displaced. The northern locality of Putre in the Arica region woke Monday morning blanketed in snow following the passage of the frontal system.
Senapred director Alicia Cebrián identified Tocopilla as the most affected zone in the northern region due to the heavy precipitation. The red alert remains in effect until conditions warrant its cancellation.