La Florida Restricts Access to Precordillera Due to Storm Emergency
Heavy earth-moving machinery stood ready on Sunday in the Andean foothills of Santiago as municipal workers established fixed surveillance posts across vulnerable terrain. Ante the imminent arrival of a new frontal system, the Municipality of La Florida will restrict access to precordilleran zones starting Monday, biobiochile.cl reported.
Emergency Declaration Triggers Municipal Restrictions
The measure stems from a preventive emergency declared by the Ministry of Interior across the Santiago Metropolitan Region. Municipal teams spent Sunday afternoon deploying heavy trucks and backhoes to strategic locations.
Agencia UNO noted that the decision was finalized during a local emergency committee meeting alongside Carabineros, invoking powers granted by a Red Alert declared through the National Service for Disaster Prevention and Response. Crews are maintaining 24-hour video surveillance and continuous monitoring over sensitive waterways and retention basins.
Workers Clear Ravines and Drainage in Macul and Santa Sofía
Attention centers heavily on the Macul and Santa Sofía de Lo Cañas ravines. Prior to Monday’s access cutoff, municipal workers cleared drainage sumideros and trimmed low-hanging tree branches across the affected neighborhoods.
Heavy machinery, including retroexcavadoras, remains stationed around the clock to clear blocked culverts if rising water or debris threatens residential infrastructure.
Mayor Daniel Reyes Urges Residents to Respect Hazard Zone Closures
Daniel Reyes issued a direct appeal to the community on Sunday, urging residents and visitors to respect the newly established cordons. Officials confirmed that police and municipal inspectors will enforce the perimeter closures to prevent civilian entry into hazard zones.
Daniel Reyes urged residents to avoid the precordilleran zones, stating that the rains increase the risk of mass movements and that the measure aims to protect their lives, asking for responsibility and collaboration. He emphasized that residents should not risk their safety, respect the closure, the signs, and the instructions of the emergency teams, adding that prevention is about caring for each other.
Authorities have not yet specified exactly how many days the access restrictions will remain in place, as the duration depends entirely on the total rainfall accumulation and the receding threat of mass movements once the storm system passes.