Snowstorm leaves hundreds stranded in Chile, Argentina
Heavy snowfall in the Valparaiso region of Chile over the weekend trapped motorists. Despite bad conditions, rescue efforts by Chilean authorities are ongoing.
Below-freezing temperatures, blustering wind and deep snow made for a disaster at the foot of the Andes Mountains in Chile, on the border of Argentina, over the weekend. Over 400 people were trapped in the mountain pass on both sides of the border, reported Socialpost, most of them were tourists and truck drivers.
The storm started on July 9 after shifting winds brought massive snowfall to the road, which is at an altitude of about 9,800 feet -- higher than the peak of Mount Olympus in Washington. Visibility was at a minimum, as videos show people unable to see beyond a few feet in front of them.
“There are temperatures of minus 10 degrees Celsius [14 degrees Fahrenheit] and snow accumulation of more than one meter [3.3 feet] on the roads,” Hector Tello, a municipal official in Argentina, told C5N, an Argentinian TV news network. "There were cars that could not continue their journey because of the fog and could not even open the doors to get out.”
On the Chilean side, federal police got to work on July 10 rescuing the close to 250 cars and drivers, according to Reuters. Rescue efforts were still ongoing on Monday, and police said four truck drivers couldn’t be evacuated, so they were taken to shelters to wait for the weather to clear up.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Public Works of Chile announced that the evacuation of all remaining travelers that were stranded had been completed.
"This is climatologically the coldest portion of the year for the regions impacted by the snowstorm over the weekend," AccuWeather Meteorologist Mary Gilbert said. "Just like we are in the heart of summer in the U.S., Chile [and] Argentina are in the grip of winter."
The winter has been a bit colder than normal for some parts of the area, Gilbert said. Santiago, Chile, is currently running 3.7 degrees Fahrenheit (2 degrees Celsius) below the typical monthly average, and due to the significant terrain along the border of Chile and Argentina, these areas tend to be hit the hardest with snowfall during the winter months.
AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Jason Nicholls said central Chile could experience another round of rain and snow late Wednesday and Thursday of this week.
Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts™ are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.
Report a Typo
