Two dead, thousands homeless in Chile after heavy rains

A local resident prepares to remove a car after a landslide as heavy rains hit Chile's central-south areas, in Constitucion, Chile, August 21, 2023. REUTERS/Sebastian Martinez

SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Two people are dead from flooding in the central-southern region of Chile on Monday, while thousands others have been evacuated or left homeless from dangerous rains pounding isolated communities.

President Gabriel Boric declared a state of catastrophe on Monday while visiting one of the worst affected areas, some 250 kilometers (155 miles) south of the capital Santiago.