Chile storm leaves two dead, more than 2,000 stranded

A violent storm has battered central and southern Chile, causing flooding, leaving at least two people dead and stranding more than 2,000 people, authorities said.

Deputy Interior Minister Maximo Pavez said two people in the southern Los Rios region were killed after a tree fell on their vehicle.

Chile's National Service for Disaster Prevention and Response said nearly 350 people had been injured or suffered property damage. It said more than 2,000 people were stranded, largely because rivers overflowed their banks.

The disaster agency issued 13 evacuation alerts, citing flooding and winds of more than 100 kilometers per hour. Several municipalities in the Maule and Los Lagos regions were also placed on alert.

The storm came weeks after another violent storm in July left 13 people dead and damaged at least 4,000 homes in Chile.