By Antonio de la Jara
SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Heavy rain and flooding killed fourpeople and forced around 5,000 from their homes in southcentral Chile, some after a river burst its banks, thegovernment said on Thursday.
Of those killed, two died in landslides, one was struck bya boulder and another was hit by a falling tree.
Television images showed streets turned into rivers in theport town of Valparaiso, where 93 mm (3.7 inches) of rain fellin 24 hours during two storm fronts that began on the weekend.
Nearly 350 people were in shelters, while most of thedisplaced were staying with friends and relatives, thegovernment said.
Parts of Chile experience downpours and flooding every yearin the run-up to the Southern Hemisphere winter.
In the agricultural Maule region, around 200 km (125 miles)south of the capital Santiago, the Lontue river burst its banksand the Mataquito river swelled.
Classes for 390,000 students in the Santiago area werecancelled after drinking water was tainted by sediment.
There were no immediate details of any impact on crops,which had been hurt by one of the worst droughts in decades.
"We have precautionary evacuations in some areas, whichwill affect the numbers of displaced," Carmen Fernandez, headof the government's National Emergency Office, told reporters.
Officials had to delay the final game of the Aperturasoccer tournament after rain forced the suspension on Thursdayof a semifinal match in the coastal town of Vina del Mar,around 120 km (75 miles) northwest of the capital.
"We have information about a third system coming in, butthe rains will be more moderate than in the first system,"Deputy Interior Minister Felipe Harboe told reporters.
On a positive note, the rain has refilled hydroelectric damreservoirs drained in recent months by the drought, which inturn boosted electricity sector stocks on Thursday and helpedthe bourse end in positive territory.
Authorities said the major Colbun reservoir, owned by thecompany of the same name and located in southern central Chile,has seen its levels rise beyond the May average.
Shares in the company, Chile's second-biggest electricitygenerator, rose with dam levels, climbing 5.44 percent to endat 96.75 pesos.
Shares in Endesa Spain's electric utilities also rallied.Endesa Spain's investment group Enersis closed 2.79 percenthigher and generator Endesa Chile rose 2.16 percent.
The regions most affected by the rains are Maule, Bio-Bio,Araucania and Los Rios.
(Additional reporting by Pav Jordan; Writing by SimonGardner; Editing by Eric Walsh)