Rainstorms and landslides in Chile have contaminated a major river forcing the authorities to cut off drinking water to at least four million people in the capital, Santiago, BBC reports. 

Officials said the water supply from the Maipo river would be cut to most of the city until the water flowed clear.

At least three people have been killed and 19 are missing as rivers overflowed and bridges were washed away.

Almost 400 people have been cut off in the Cajon del Maipo mountainous area.

Aguas Andinas, which provides the capital with drinking water, said continuing rain was making repairs difficult. The company said it did not know yet when the water supply could be restored.

Regional governor Claudio Orrego said weather conditions in the mountains near Santiago remained "very bad".

"We had many landslides in a very short space of time," he said.

A 12-year-old girl was killed when the car she was travelling in with her family was swept away by a landslide in the O'Higgins region, south of Santiago.

Two more people died in Cajon del Maipo.

Mr Orrego said the heavy rains which had fallen since Saturday were "absolutely anomalous" for the summer period.