Coquimbo authorities ask President Kast to decree a disaster zone and allocate more resources to the region

Authorities in the region of Coquimbo have urged President José Antonio Kast to declare a disaster zone and allocate additional resources to the area, which has been under Red Alert due to heavy rainfall caused by a frontal system. The request comes amid growing concerns over the financial strain on local authorities and the urgent need for federal support to address infrastructure damage and housing issues. The call for emergency measures was made by Ali Manouchehri, mayor of Coquimbo and president of the regional council of mayors. He addressed the national government directly, urging President Kast to activate the constitutional 2% allocation, which would provide fresh funding from the central government rather than drawing from existing regional budgets. According to Manouchehri, the current regional budget, approximately $2 billion, is insufficient to cover the extensive damage to roads, bridges, and public infrastructure, particularly given the scale of destruction caused by the recent weather conditions. “This region is facing an emergency that far exceeds its financial capacity,” Manouchehri stated. He emphasized that the funds currently available are drawn from the regional investment budget, meaning they are not new resources. “We are asking the President to declare a disaster zone so that we can access the 2% constitutional allocation and begin reconstruction immediately.” The mayor highlighted that the allocated funds are inadequate even for repairing one collapsed bridge, let alone rebuilding homes affected by flooding. His remarks were echoed by other officials who expressed similar concerns over the limited scope of regional resources. In solidarity with the municipal authorities, Carolina Tello, a member of parliament representing the region and leader of the opposition’s parliamentary bloc, joined the call for a disaster declaration. She visited several neighborhoods impacted by the floods and described the dire situation faced by residents, especially vulnerable groups such as elderly individuals, children, and pregnant women. Tello noted that many households remain flooded, leading to health risks due to prolonged exposure to moisture. “We have seen firsthand the suffering of families living in these conditions,” she said. “It is essential that the state takes immediate action to protect their well-being.” She also announced plans to coordinate with the presidential delegation in the region to ensure that teams from the Ministry of Housing conduct structural assessments of damaged properties. Furthermore, Tello indicated that her party will continue pushing for legislative actions aimed at supporting victims through oversight mechanisms and targeted initiatives. Both Manouchehri and Tello stressed the importance of federal intervention, arguing that the region lacks the necessary financial tools to manage the crisis independently. They called for swift decision-making from the national government, emphasizing that the current level of support is unsustainable and that more robust measures are required to safeguard both lives and livelihoods. The situation continues to evolve, with ongoing discussions between local leaders and national representatives regarding the potential declaration of a disaster zone. As the region faces mounting pressure to restore normalcy, the outcome of these negotiations could determine the pace and extent of recovery efforts in the coming weeks.