Chilean President
Declares Catastrophe,
Emergency Zones
SANTIAGO - Chilean
President Michelle
Bachelet Wednesday
declared the regions in
the central south of the
country as catastrophe
and agriculture
emergency zones, due to
days of massive
rainfalls in the area.
Bachelet visited the
regions of Araucania,
Bio Bio and Los Rioson
Wednesday morning, and
told the press that
"resources will be used
to those in need, like
we have done in other
emergencies. The
government will stay
next to the people, like
we always do."
Bachelet also called on
people in the disaster
region to be patient,
since aid work will
begin first with the
most urgent cases.
The rains, considered
the strongest in 30
years, flooded
17,000hectares of land
and left more than
20,000 victims, bringing
a loss of over 70
million U.S. dollars,
according to a report of
the National Office of
Emergency (Onemi).
The Onemi said that 300
tons of materials
including food,
blankets, mats and coal
have been distributed to
the victims so far.
Bachelet was scheduled
to meet with local
authorities together
with Interior Vice
Minister Felipe Harboe.
She would also visit
Carahue, a locality that
has been out of drinking
water since Tuesday.
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