Between March 24-26, a low-pressure system meandered to northern/central Chile from the southwest resulting in one to two inches of rainfall in 24 hours on March 25. A station south of the desert recorded more than 2 inches. An inch of rain represents multiple years worth of rain for the Atacama Desert. Areas this dry simply cannot handle a large amount of rain in a short period of time. The rock hard ground does not absorb the water. The lack of vegetation leads to rapid erosion and a massive generation of mud. Dry river beds become rushing torrents of water capable of destroying anything in their path.
In this case, the Copiapó River, which government officials in Chile said had been virtually dry for 17 years (!) rapidly filled with rainwater and overflowed its banks. The cities of Copiapó and Antofagasta in the Atacama and Antofagasta regions of northern Chile saw flash floods rush through their downtowns. According to Reuters, Chilean president Michelle Bachelet has claimed it will cost $1.5 billion to repair all of the damages. The floods have claimed the lives of at least 24 people and displaced thousands.
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