The National Disaster Prevention and Response Service (Senapred) activated Emergency Alert System (SAE) messaging in the municipality of Talagante, in the Metropolitan Region. It called for the evacuation of the Ribera del Río settlement because of the Mapocho River overflowing.
According to BioBioChile, the river's flow increased considerably because of heavy rainfall in the region in recent hours. The outlet placed the alert on Thursday, although Senapred's post on X is dated Tuesday, October 13, 2026, the day also reported by CNN Chile and La Tercera.
In its message on X, Senapred explained that it activated the SAE to reinforce the evacuation already being carried out on the ground by technical agencies. The service asked residents to remain calm and follow instructions from the authorities and response teams. It also reminded them to consider pets and their needs during the move.
The alert coincides with a storm bringing rain, lightning and hail that prompted Senapred to declare a red alert in the Metropolitan Region on Tuesday afternoon.
This is not the first time the settlement has faced this situation. According to La Tercera, on Thursday, October 8, the rising Mapocho flooded homes in the same settlement and forced the evacuation of more than a thousand people.
The settlement has been beside the river for about a decade. Following that emergency, Talagante Mayor Sebastián Rosas called for intervention by the Ministries of Public Works and Housing to establish a plan that would provide a permanent solution for the families.
On Friday, October 9, Rosas said he would love to see a minister on the ground and warned that the same operation cannot be repeated every winter. So far, the sources have not reported how many people were evacuated in this latest emergency or whether shelters are available.
