At least ten people have died and four are missing after a severe storm struck northern Chile, the director of the national emergency service Senapred said on Monday. Seventeen people were injured and 2,422 have been left homeless, according to the same official.

The storm, which began on 15 July, has cut off roads and left nearly 100,000 people isolated, particularly in the Coquimbo and Atacama regions. Authorities reported that around 2,200 homes were destroyed or damaged, while some official figures put the number of severely damaged or destroyed dwellings at over 1,100. Power cuts affected about 150,000 people nationwide, and drinking water supplies were disrupted in Coquimbo due to flooding and mudslides.

President José Antonio Kast declared a state of catastrophe for the Coquimbo region and Huasco province in Atacama, allowing the deployment of the military, restrictions on movement, and faster delivery of aid. The interior ministry said that on Sunday, a month’s worth of rain fell in one hour in Coquimbo, describing the precipitation as 'abnormal and extreme.' The national meteorological service stated that Chile had not experienced a storm of such extent and intensity in two decades.

Rescue operations involving tractors and helicopters have been underway in rural areas, with the army evacuating people from rooftops. The toll remains provisional as emergency services continue to assess the damage and search for the missing.