Santiago - Chile's government said on Monday that 17 people have been killed and 20 are still missing after torrential rains caused flooding in a northern desert region.
The heavy rains last week swelled rivers and led to flash-flooding that also caused power outages and blocked roads. President Michelle Bachelet's spokesperson announced on Monday that the government will provide nearly $10m to the flood-hit areas.
The precipitation in the northern city of Antofagasta was a stark example of abnormal rain in the Atacama desert, which is one of the driest on Earth. From Wednesday to Thursday morning, about 24mm fell in Antofagasta, an area that typically receives only about 1.7mm of rain in a year, according to Chile's meteorological service.