Chilean Officials Declared Snow Catastrophe

Chilean officials have declared “catastrophe” in eight municipalities after heavy snow
covered communities and isolated them from the outside. Up to Wednesday, July 20,
authorities have sent the country’s military and public works officials to help the city
of Lonquimay, where snow was reported to have piled more than 2.3 meters and over
6,500 people remained isolated. Considering the intensity of the snowstorm, more
snowfall and critical weather fronts were expected as the meteorologists warned about
the coming of new snowstorms. The “white earthquake” as compared by the interior
minister, was testing the emergency responding capacity of the legal system.