Southern Chile Volcano Disaster Relief Fund

As of May 8th this is a summary of what we know so far:

The Chaiten Volcano is still active. Pyroplastic blasts are possible. Two vents have merged in to one, and the crater is filling with lava. Eruptions are ongoing.

A complete mandatory evacuation has been ordered for an area of 30 miles around the volcano, including the town of Chaiten at its base. 4,000 to 5,000 residents have been evacuated by the navy to the Island of Chiloe, Puerto Montt, and other locations.
A voluntary partial evacuation has started for all those that wish to leave in areas outside the 30 mile exclusion zone including the town of Futaleufu.

The town of Futaleufu is currently has about 400 inhabitants, less than 50% of the population remains. Many are currently relocated to Argentina, Osorno, Puerto Montt, and other places in Southern Chile.

After receiving heavy initial ash falls in the first few days, in the last three days the winds have pushed the ash cloud North of Futaleufu. Contacts in the area report that the last 3 days have been sunny and mostly clear skies.

The current ash on the ground seems to be approximately 5 to 15 cm in the Futaleufu area. The reports of ash levels in the region very wildly. Some valleys, because of natural differences in air currents seem to have received little, while others have received heavier ash falls. Official government numbers report up to 40 cm of ash, but this has yet to be confirmed by any of our contacts anywhere in the area. No new ash falls have been reported over the last three days.

The president of Chile, Michel Bachelet visited both Chaiten and Futaleufu, on Monday and Tuesday. As her plane could not land in Futaleufu, she drove the dangerous ash covered roads to Futaleufu from Chaiten, and reports are she was forced to spend the night in Futaleufu before returning to Chaiten the next day by car.

The Chilean customs has lowered barriers and inspections in cooperation with Argentina to allow the free flow of food, fuel, water, and other necessities in to Chile including providing a special waver of the normal documentation required for transporting pets out of the area as many people would not leave without their pets.

The government sent in a team of veterinarians to Chaiten to roundup some 450 pets left behind, and to immunize animals that could not be evacuated.

Among other measures yet to be announced, the government has promised to buy cattle and other farm animals in the effected area, reimburse ranchers for losses, forgive government agricultural bank loans, and is currently buying and shipping out cattle and other ranch animals from the effected zone. Estimates are up to 40,000 animals may die in the effected zone from contaminated feed and water.

Reports are that as of this morning money was being freely distributed to the people remaining in Futaleufu as the bank had been closed and most people had been operating on a adhoc barter / credit system with stores. Many stores have extended credit to members of the community, and many have said they will even sell at a loss if it was needed to get the town through the crisis.

Water shortages was the initial concern in the area, and continues to be a serious problem. Most ranchers use some form of collection system from mountain streams, and drilled wells of any significant depth are not common in the area. Most of the water sources in the region are thus contaminated. In one case we have reports of people in the Espolon valley going for up to two days with no drinking water before government water was finally able to reach the area.

How you can help Futaleufu, Chaiten, and Palena:

An account has been established by the Palena association, which includes none profit groups from around Palena including the tourism association of Futaleufu, Aguas Libres Enviromental group, and others that are now rededicated to providing assistance to those effected and reestablishing the tourism industry and agricultural industry in the region. The region will need financial assistance for many years to come to fully recover the economy.

Banco Estado:
Cuenta Corriente: 500 500 "Ayuda a damnificados de Chaitén"

Banco Estado SWIFT Number: BECHCLRM

This Fund is administered by the Palena Association.

Sites and links to more Information about the Volcano:

In Spanish:
The Community blog in Spanish for the Palena Association Members with news and updates:
http://arribapalena.blogspot.com/

In English:
The thread at the Chile Forum , at www.allchile.net
VOLCANO ERUPTS IN PATAGONIA NEAR CHAITEN AND FUTALEUFU

Photos and Maps of the Chaiten Volcano In Southern Chile:

Electrical Storm at night formed by the charged particles of the ash rising off the Chaiten Volcano

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Southern Chile Volcano Disaster Relief Fund

Need Help In Chile?

TALK ABOUT CHILE
Chile Forum
Chile Wiki
@
www.allchile.net