EF2 tornado damages homes and school in central Chile

A preliminary EF2 tornado struck the communes of Requínoa and Rengo in Chile’s O’Higgins region on Monday afternoon, damaging homes and the Tricahue school. The storm formed around 5:30 p.m. local time with estimated winds between 179 and 218 kilometers per hour.

Roofs were torn off houses, trees fell, and metal sheets littered streets in the Las Mercedes sector. At least twenty homes sustained damage, and the school’s gymnasium was blown away.

“At this moment we are compiling all the information. We have been gathering some damages still very preliminary.”

Emergency teams deployed to assess the damage and coordinate response efforts. Traffic into Requínoa was complicated, and officials were still gathering information.

The National Disaster Prevention and Response Service declared a Red Alert for the commune and a Preventive Early Alert for Santiago. The electricity superintendent reported thousands of customers without power after poles were knocked down.

Rail service between San Fernando and Rancagua was temporarily interrupted. Emergency agencies confirmed there were no recorded injuries.

Authorities are compiling damage reports and considering emergency funds if needed. The governor said his team was traveling to the area to see how they could help.