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Three days following the massive earthquake in Chile, many towns are still completely isolated.
Bridges have collapsed; rail and roads networks have been destroyed. There are still no phone or internet communications with Concepcion. USPG has responded by sending an emergency grant; donations are invited for our Chile Earthquake Fund.
Andy Bowman, until recently a USPG Mission Companion in Concepcion, said: ‘From the communications we have had with people in Santiago in the north, the situation in Concepcion seems desperate. Half a million people in Concepcion are isolated, without water, electricity, shelter and food. Shops have been looted and civil unrest appears to be widespread. Seven thousand Chilean troops have been sent to the area to maintain order.’
The official death toll from the earthquake is 724. However, as the full extent of the situation becomes clear, this is likely to rise.
Emergency aid is trickling in
Andy said: ‘The first emergency aid is trickling in after an air bridge was established between the airports in Santiago and Concepcion, both of which were badly damaged.’
The 8.8 magnitude earthquake on Saturday morning was so powerful it brought down buildings and bridges 500km away in Santiago. In the following three days there were 168 earthquake-severity aftershocks of between 4 and 6.9 magnitude.
On Monday, USPG managed to contact the Rt Revd Hector Zavala, Bishop of Chile, and social worker Rosa Cortes, who works for the Anglican NGO CAMDES; both are based in Santiago.
Andy said: ‘Bishop Hector and Rosa said the situation in Concepcion is critical. The four Anglican congregations there are camping together in three sites for safety and for sharing the small amount of food available. There is a well at one of these sites, so USPG-support community worker Felipe Saravia is transporting water to the other two sites, where there is no water. All of the bridges across the river are either destroyed or severely damaged, so transporting water is a dangerous activity.’
He added: ‘Churches in Santiago have sent a fleet of vehicles to deliver food supplies, emergency equipment, nappies and blankets. The vehicles set off last night [Monday], however the roads are completely cut in at least four places. The journey will take at least 10 hours just to get close. The closer to Concepcion the worse the conditions of the roads, so the last part of the journey might have to be made by boat along the ocean coast.’
Please remember the families and congregations in the South of Chile in your prayers at this difficult time.
Posted on 02.03.2010
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