Dozens killed in extreme South American storms

Dozens killed in extreme South American storms
28 March 2015

Quito, Santiago (dpa) - The death toll reached three dozen and was expected to rise in extreme storms along Pacific coastal regions of South America, reports said Saturday.

At least 25 people had died during intense rains, landslides and high waves in Ecuador, officials said. Lightning strikes on a police school in the capital Quito injured 52 people, 15 of whom required hospitalization. The extreme weather also caused heavy economic damage to farmland and the fishing industry, including boats smashed against rocks and piers, reports said.

In the northern Chilean desert region of Atacama, rare heavy storms caused flash floods and mudslides that killed at least 11 people and destroyed many homes and roads.

"As we go on opening up the routes, there could be a rising death toll, said Ricardo Toro, director of the Office of National Emergencies. He said there were at least 19 people officially listed as missing, and more than 5,000 had been displaced by the destruction. Local officials also warned that faults in upstream dams could be releasing toxic material from desert mines including arsenic and mercury down on inhabited areas.

More:
http://www.dpa-international.com/news/international/dozens-killed-in-extreme-south-american-storms-a-44738481.html

Environment & Energy:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/112782987