Chile — humanitarian situation

Chile has experienced a series of overlapping climate-related emergencies during recent months, with severe weather patterns affecting multiple regions of the country. Heavy storms and flooding across 11 regions prompted the government to declare states of catastrophe from Atacama to Los Ríos regions, with a constitutional state of exception for Huasco province and the Coquimbo region (Cruz Roja Chilena, IFRC). As of early August, severe weather had directly affected 16,400 people nationwide, with 9,700 people remaining isolated in Coquimbo due to storm impacts OCHA. The emergency response included issuance of 162 evacuation alerts for areas threatened by river flooding, storm surges, inundation, landslides, and debris flows (Cruz Roja Chilena, IFRC). These events occurred against a regional backdrop of intensifying El Niño conditions, with the World Meteorological Organization forecasting a strong El Niño event between August and October 2026 that is expected to drive above-normal temperatures and extreme weather patterns across South America OCHA. Chile's National Disaster Prevention and Response System SENAPRED maintained continuous monitoring across affected communes in coordination with regional directorates, with preventive emergency measures extended through mid-August from Arica y Parinacota to Coquimbo regions through ministerial decrees (Cruz Roja Chilena, IFRC). The Chilean Red Cross activated its Simplified Early Action Protocol for forest fires and conducted structured lessons-learned processes to improve anticipatory action mechanisms IFRC. Beyond immediate disaster response, Chile continued to address longer-term humanitarian considerations related to Venezuelan refugees and migrants, with the National Migration Service SERMIG and UNHCR releasing findings on socioeconomic integration in January 2026 (R4V). Regional public health surveillance remained active, with the Pan American Health Organization monitoring avian influenza A(H5) detection in bird populations and issuing epidemiological alerts regarding increased measles cases across the Americas in 2026, urging member states including Chile to strengthen surveillance and vaccination activities PAHO. Climate projections indicated ongoing risks of temperature extremes and associated hazards through the remainder of 2026.