Cajon del Maipo, CHILE — Dozens of people were stranded after avalanches blanketed mountain towns east of Chile's capital Santiago and blocked roads, according to authorities.

Heavy rain and snowstorms from the last few days have left large piles of snow throughout the province of Maipo, in central Chile.

Two small towns in the Cajon del Maipo mountain range have been cut off as well as a ski centre, due to road closures caused by snow slides, police and provincial government authorities said.

"We are doing everything possible to reach them and take them to a safe area," said Alejandra Cortes, a federal government delegate to Cordillera province.

She added that in the next few days, authorities will attempt to set off a controlled avalanche to clear snow if it does not occur naturally first.

At Lagunillas Ski Centre, 33 people were trapped, including eight children, Lieutenant Colonel Bernardo Leiva of Chile's national police said.

"No people were injured (at the ski resort), and food has been brought to them," he said.

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