Heavy rain batters Chile’s capital, sweeping away cars and flooding homes

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) — Heavy rains drenched Chile’s capital and the surrounding region Thursday, triggering mudslides that swept cars through streets, flooded homes, forced residents to evacuate and injured at least six people, authorities said.

President José Antonio Kast declared a state of emergency for Las Condes, a wealthy suburb east of Santiago, giving government agencies more power to respond as torrential rains turned key roads into impassable waterways. The district's mayor, Catalina San Martín, said 14.4 centimeters (5.7 inches) of rain had fallen in recent days — about nine times the average October rainfall — leaving the area “totally saturated.”

The Mapocho River, which runs through Santiago, overflowed, prompting evacuation orders. Chile’s disaster-response agency put 10 other districts on high alert for more landslides and ordered schools to close Friday. Rain storms earlier this week had already damaged a few dozen homes across central Chile and left nearly 12,000 customers in Santiago without power, officials said. The downpours were expected to ease Friday.

No deaths were reported Thursday. The injured included a 1-year-old child with broken bones, officials said. Firefighters said they'd rescued or evacuated more than 1,000 people.

The floods come as a powerful El Niño gains strength. The naturally recurring warming of tropical Pacific waters scrambles rainfall patterns worldwide and often brings wetter springs to the Southern Hemisphere. The World Meteorological Organization said Thursday that this year’s El Niño was expected to peak in December and could be among the most intense since at least 1950.

A rescue worker walks through muddy debris in a shop damaged by flash flooding caused by heavy rains in the Las Condes district of Santiago, Chile, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

Vehicles are partially inundated in muddy floodwaters after heavy rains caused flash flooding in the Las Condes district of Santiago, Chile, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

A man wades through muddy floodwaters after heavy rains caused flash flooding in the Las Condes district of Santiago, Chile, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

Vehicles are partially inundated in muddy floodwaters after heavy rains caused flash flooding in the Las Condes district of Santiago, Chile, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

A man is pulled to safety by rescue workers after heavy rains caused flash flooding in the Las Condes district of Santiago, Chile, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jerry Jones had his fingers entwined in front of him as he glanced up toward the big video board with a concerned look on his face. Right after his Dallas Cowboys fell behind against winless Tampa Bay, Dak Prescott threw an interception.

Things were just starting to really unravel for the Cowboys, and the owner's expression would only get more bleak, even though they had a chance late to escape without a loss.

The Cowboys (2-3) lost 24-16 on Thursday night to a Bucs team with undrafted rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels filling in for the injured Baker Mayfield. Prescott had another interception with 1:16 left when his throw deflected off tight end Jake Ferguson at the Bucs 12.

Playing at home for the only time in October, and in primetime for all to see, this was a chance for the Cowboys to build some momentum in the NFC East. And the opportunity for a second win in five days against another winless team before a bit of a break.

Instead, there will only be more questions in the nine-day break before going to Green Bay, and then Philadelphia. The Cowboys don't play at home again until Nov. 1 against Arizona.

The Bucs (1-4), whose only touchdown before halftime was a 15-play drive that took just shy of 11 minutes, started must faster after the break. They went ahead to stay on two big runs that took only a minute. Bucky Irving ran for 72 yards, immediately followed by Emeka Egbuka's 14-yard TD run that gave them a 14-10 lead.

Then came the first pick by Prescott deep in Tampa Bay territory, and Irving added a 1-yard TD run before KaVontae Turpin fumbled the ensuing kickoff return. The Bucs then converted a third-and-21 on the drive that ended with Chase McLaughlin's 41-yard field for a 24-10 lead.

The Cowboys played their third game in 12 days, a stretch that began with 10-hour flights to and from Rio de Janeiro, where they lost 34-31 to Baltimore after the Ravens got a big play and game-ending field goal in the final 7 seconds.

Dallas rebounded last Sunday with a 34-30 victory at winless Houston, when CeeDee Lamb capped his career-high 17 catches for 189 yards with a 12-yard TD in the final minute.

But Lamb had only two catches for 9 yards against the Bucs before getting sidelined by a quad injury.

After Tampa Bay bypassed a field goal chance and was stopped on fourth-and-goal from the 1 with 8 1/2 minutes left, the Cowboys went 99 yards in 10 plays for Prescott's 18-yard TD to George Pickens before they failed on a 2-point conversion.

They got one more chance after a defensive stop, but that ended with the last pick.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jalon Daniels (10) is sacked by Dallas Cowboys linebackers Shemar James (50) and Von Miller (40) in the first half of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Josiah Trotter (45) stops Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams (33) in the first half of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) leaves the field after a loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Sam Hodde)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Miles Killebrew (29) celebrates after the Buccaneers recovered a fumbled kickoff return by the Dallas Cowboys in the second half of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas on Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)