Chilean Rotary member reports on earthquake (updated)

Editor’s note: See updated info at the end of this report.

At least one member of a Chilean Rotary team that visited Fort Smith in September survived the earthquake in that South American country, but Robinson Esparza reports that damage is extensive.

Esparza, an Internet-based journalist, communicated Saturday by e-mail with The City Wire that he has been unable to visit with many friends, family and members of the Internet publication for which he works. He said phone and other communication lines are down in many parts of the country.

“I’m fine with my wife and my daughter, we are in Santiago, the capital and stand in a flat, has minor damage, many things broken. It was terrible and we get scared much, but we’ve still trembles and now we have again light and water, here in Santiago only breakdown some churches, and hard damage to highways and other monuments,” Esparza noted in his e-mail.

He said the major earthquake was followed by numerous aftershocks, which he said were strong enough to be “terrifying.” He said the hardest hit area was in the region between Temuco and Santiago in the middle of the country (see map below).

“The official number of dead is 217 but we know that this number will grow. … The number is small compared (with the strength) of earthquake, because our country have rules and laws about construction of building and houses,” Esparza noted.

Unfortunately, Esparza was correct in noting the rise in fatalities. The Associated Press and other reports placed deaths at more than 700 with an estimated 500,000 structures damaged. Looting broke out in several towns, with Chilean President Michele Bachalet declaring martial law in certain regions.

“My family (father and mother) are in Pucon in the south and they are fine, although it was stronger, fortunately our house are wooden made and are flexible, don’t have big damage,” Esparza said when asked about his family.

Esparza ended his brief e-mail by noting: “ Thanks you for your prayers, a big hug.”

The Fort Smith Rotary Club on Sept. 30 welcomed members of the group study exchange team from Chile. The team members are were Ricardo Hevia, Carolina Aedo, Esparza, Veronica Eltit, and Teresa Araya. The team was in the area several weeks conducting vocational visits (including a half-day session between Esparza and staff of The City Wire), meeting with Rotary clubs and touring cultural sites in the Rotary district.

Updated info: The following are updates from other members of the Chilean Rotary team that visited the Fort Smith region in September. The reports from Caroline Aedo and Teresa Araya are published here in their entirety.

Caroline Aedo
My family and I are doing just fine. The earthquake had been very brave in Chile. But most of the buildings are standing up. One Apartment fell down in Concepción. The electricity came back just about one hour ago. We don’t have water supply yet.

The man here are taking care of us here. My sister (who is pregnant) her husband, Mauricio (brother) and my boyfriend are staying at my Parents house. We are a little scare  tonight because the earth is shaking again. The house is moving right now. My father is working at the Hospital in Temuco. The Hospital had severe damage in their infrastructure.  But they don’t have people with severe injuries, because most of the houses and apartments were built for standing after earthquake. But in Chile around 214 people who died in the Main earthquake of last night. Tsumani at the coast too.

We gathered food and water from all our houses. So we have a good stock in the case we need anything. The main earthquake was 7.5 grades in the Richter scale in Temuco. Concepción 8.5 grades, Maule 8.8 grades.

But this email is to tell you we are doing fine here. The telephone is collapsed, but we have internet now. My cell phone sometimes works. It was really scare when last night everything started to move in the 6th floor of our apartment. It was a hard shake at 3:30 am!!! Without glasses and with pijamas we ran to the door of the apartment and stay there until everything was over. We thought we could not make it if we just ran to the first floor.

The small grosery store at the neighbor are working, so we can get coke and other drinks for now. Ohh great everything is quiet now again. great. I guess we will not sleep tonight again. Just being alert of what is going on.

Love and thank you for being in touch through facebook or msn.

Teresa Araya
my whole department was destroyed, I lost everything, but I am calm and alive. My husband and my son are OK but we must start anew.  the most important is our life, only now there is no connection at times, but we have no electricity, water or gas.
The phone is wrong and is very hard to comunicate with our family in other cities,
I can not walk, esu whole body hurts and I am afraid of another earthquake
We remember you with love. Thanks for your concern.