EF-1 Tornado Devastates Puerto Varas, Chile

A tornado, estimated to be of EF-1 intensity, struck Puerto Varas, a city in the Los Lagos region of Chile, on Sunday afternoon. The powerful winds, reaching speeds of 138 to 177 kilometers per hour, caused substantial damage to homes, infrastructure, and the electrical grid. The event, which occurred around 3 p.m., left a trail of destruction including damaged cars, uprooted trees, and shattered windows. "The municipality immediately activated a Communal Disaster Risk Management Committee (COGRID)," stated Tomás Gárate, the mayor of Puerto Varas. Emergency crews, including firefighters, police, and electric companies, are working to assess the damage and restore essential services. Videos circulating on social media show the frightening intensity of the tornado, capturing the fear and chaos as it swept through the city. The full extent of the damage is still being assessed, but the swift response of local authorities offers hope for a speedy recovery.