Tidal touchdown: a helicopter rescue in Chile
Rainless skies, sweltering heat and fierce winds kept researchers on edge, but the real drama unfolded when the Mapocho River erupted around Talagante. The flood sweeps, driven by record October rainfall, turned rutted roads into rivers, trapping families inside their homes.
Police, sensing the escalation, fitted several helicopters with rescue baskets and started lifts as midnight approached. Within hours, the heavy-metal tips of helicopters hovered above the water with occupants—including several pets—safe inside.
While dozens were saved, officials later confirmed a death in a flooded underpass near San Bernardo, a reminder that surges can strike without warning. The storm marks the wettest October recorded in the Metropolitan Region in 76 years. Meteorologists attribute the deluge to the powerful El Niño phenomenon, which is forecast to continue pushing heavy rain across the region into spring.
Researchers warn that the 2026‑27 El Niño may alter weather on a global scale, intensifying droughts elsewhere while flooding, like this event, becomes more frequent in vulnerable zones. Residents in the area are being advised to monitor weather alerts and avoid low‑lying routes during storms.
