Heavy snowfall leaves much of Chile in the dark

More than a million households in Chile are without power following record-setting snowfall over central and southern areas of the  country Friday night and Saturday.

A snow-covered park in Santiago.

In Santiago, 300,000 homes were without electricity Saturday and much of the public transit system was shut down. Five deaths have been reported nationwide as a result of the storm, including three by electrocution due to fallen power lines.

Most public functions were cancelled in the capital, including several professional football games.

Public services in other major Chilean cities, including Valparaiso, O’Higgins, and Maule, were also brought to a standstill by heavy snow.

The border crossing between Chile and Argentina at Los Libertadores was closed, the highway covered by three and four feet of snow. Officials say it could be several days before snow plows can reopen the heavily traveled route between Santiago and Mendoza, Argentina.

Meteorologists say no more snow is forecast.