Storms in Chile damage homes, flood roads and leave at least 1 person dead

By NAYARA BATSCHKE
Associated Press

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Heavy rains lashed much of Chile, damaging homes, flooding roads, knocking out power and causing mudslides that have swept through residential areas. Storms have drenched the center and south Chile throughout the week, displacing people and closing schools. More than 2,000 homes have been damaged and 60,000 have lost power. Heavy winds caused a large tree to fall on a tractor, killing one person late Wednesday. Authorities have declared a “disaster zone” across a large stretch of the country including the capital Santiago and seven other provinces. In the hard-hit Bio Bio region south of Santiago, landslides crushed dozens of homes.