World · Latin America · 9 hrs ago
Hailstorm floods Santiago, disrupts Metro and leaves 22,000 homes without power
A severe hailstorm flooded streets and buildings across Santiago, Chile, on Tuesday, as an unusual spring storm brought heavy rain and thunderstorms.
A tornado preliminarily classified as EF0 struck a bus terminal in Estación Central, lifting roof sheets into the air.
Flooding affected districts including Providencia, Las Condes and Estación Central, and firefighters rescued people from a flooded underpass in Peñalolén.
About 22,000 homes lost electricity, while Metro services were disrupted, including the closure of Pedro de Valdivia station and restricted access at Salvador.
Authorities declared a red alert for the Metropolitan Region and warned of further storms, urging drivers to avoid low-lying roads.
The storm came five days after a mudslide in Las Condes, amid an unusually wet October that has already brought serious damage to the capital.
Officials said the rain was expected to ease overnight, while Las Condes extended restrictions because of the risk of further landslides.
A severe storm flooded streets, homes and businesses in Santiago, Chile, and produced a tornado preliminarily classified as EF0.
The storm hit on Tuesday, October 13, bringing hail, heavy rain and power cuts to the capital.
The tornado struck a bus terminal in Estación Central, where wind lifted dozens of zinc sheets.
Around 22,000 homes lost electricity, according to the Superintendency of Electricity and Fuels.
Flooding disrupted Metro services and prompted rescues, while authorities declared a red alert for the Metropolitan Region.
- Who
- Residents, workers and students in Santiago were affected. Emergency services responded to flooding.
- What
- A storm brought hail, floods and power cuts, and produced a tornado preliminarily classified as EF0.
- When
- Tuesday, October 13, 2026. The storm began around 3:30pm.
- Where
- Santiago, Chile, including the districts of Providencia, Las Condes, Estación Central and Peñalolén.
- Why
- The storm brought heavy rain, hail and thunderstorms. The sources do not state what caused the tornado.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
A mudslide in San Carlos de Apoquindo left six people injured and around 2,000 homes damaged.
The storm began as students and workers were leaving schools and offices.
The storm flooded streets and buildings, disrupted transport and produced a tornado at a bus terminal in Estación Central.
Reports said around 22,000 homes had lost electricity and the Metropolitan Region was under a red alert.
- Tornado classification
- Preliminary EF0, the lowest intensity category
- Tornado location
- Bus terminal in Estación Central
- Power cuts
- Around 22,000 homes
- Rainfall
- Around 20 millimetres in about two and a half hours, according to regional governor Claudio Orrego
- Red alert
- Metropolitan Region
2 sources
What people are saying
all emergency institutions
Because of global warming, weather processes are intensifying. And we have just had an electrical storm like none ever seen in Santiago,