Chile Forum

Ok, 9 pm news coming up. almost all the news stations in Chile have a live online feed (if you can dig through the flash advertising).

Well, I have to give the senora credit. She drove up from Chaiten. For those who have no concept of getting to Futa on a nice sunny day, with no volcano problems, it is hard drive on a narrow dirt road that will kill a pair of shocks in a 4x4 in about a season. Currently there is up to 30 cm of ash on that road, and you slip slide around in a 4x4. She insisted that they drive up because they could not land a plane in Futa at the airport. They even showed photos of her stopping to talk to a guy who's car was totaled in the middle of the road.

So, the president gets some credit from us for even doing it.

I really get a kick out of how the president and the news reporters are just shocked by how hard it is to get to Futa. All those Las Condes yuppies have likely never driven on dirt roads like they have around Futa. Suddenly in the news the big footnote to all the news story seems to be just how hard it is to reach the place. The reporters are repeating it, and have a bit of dear in the head lights look to them like they can not believe such a place exist in Chile. It is that raw shock of those that are baffled by why Chile is still considered a "developing country" with all the modern highways, malls, and such of the Central region that simply don't know their own country. Unfortunately it took a tragedy like this to get them down there and see it.

The real tragedy here I am afraid is that they will not be there under circumstances to see why Futa is such a special place, even in the context of all the great places and people of Southern Chile.

I don't think I have told you guys yet, but we did our very first property deal in Futa. That is why Futa is so near and dear to our hearts.

It was a gringo that contacted us that wanted to sell a little 1.5 hectare piece of land near Futa that started our business, this forum, and most everything else we do now. The gringo was in serious legal trouble (very bad title and property lines), and it was the good people of Futa that helped us get them solved. The old rancher and his son that sold it to him had every right to tell the gringo he was on his own. Instead they spent weeks and months working with us, crawling around the muddy hill sides in the rain with us and the surveyors (also from Futa) trying to figure out where the property lines where at, sitting in notaries in Puerto Montt and Chainten for hours waiting to correct a contract or title, and much more. All the time genuinely concerned that our client got what he payed for, even though the statute of limitations for any claims had run out. Those are good people, and we became good friends. We even have spent wonderful New Years with their family and a lamb asado.

That is just one example of the hundreds of acts of kindness we have received from the people in Futa. The town adopted us from the mayors office down to the old ranchers in the campo, and we adopted Futa.

When we say we consider the people of the campo our secret weapon or like an extended partners, the people of Futa are the ones we have in mind. Futa is not the only town we have found this in Southern Chile, we just felt we encountered it stronger and easier in Futa. There is something very special about Futa, and we will do everything we can to help protect that and put it back together again. There are not a lot of places left on Earth like it.

here are some of the best photos we have found so far:
http://www.fotos.emol.com/index.asp?G_ID=5557

admin wrote:here are some of the best photos we have found so far:
http://www.fotos.emol.com/index.asp?G_ID=5557

HOLY CRAP AT THAT PICTURE never seen anything like that

yea, they are comparing it to the Hudson volcano in Southern Chile. It smoked for year. It is caldera volcano like the one under Yellowstone in the U.S., just this one decided to blow. The two courses they are speculating it can take is to go super nuclear, or to just sit there and smoke. Those are total speculation, considering no one really knows anything about it.

Here is a satelite photo of the plume
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Natura ... g_id=14815

We have not been able to confirm it yet, but we hear rumors that the president spent the night in Futa because she could not drive out to Chaiten because of an accident on the road.

There is now a mandatory evacuation of Chaiten of even the emergency personnel as the dome is collapsing and lava flows are expected.

They posted a message about an hour ago on the ChileGringos Yahoo group:

--- In chilegringos@yahoogroups.com, "Vicki and Greg" <holdranoray@...> wrote:
>
> --- In chilegringos@yahoogroups.com, "William Maher Jr."
> <capteco1@> wrote:
> >
> > Any news from down south, are youse guys ok????
> >
>
> We are good, all things considered. I will attempt to upload some
> photos when I get a chance. The volcano continues to menace and a new
> eruption of some type went on today. This morning about 200 people
> remained in Futa, no telling how many folks in el campo. Last evening
> I helped our landlord/neighbor butcher the families beloved laying
> hens so they wouldn't starve - not because there isn't anything to
> eat. Buses were here to evacuate people this morning just as a new
> cloud of ash wafted over the mountain ridge. The bank was locked up
> and no one could get money. I borrowed money from a wonderful,
> previously unknown gringo friend and spread it among our landlord and
> his nephew/our house builder. Things are calm, people are sad, but
> resolute and strong. The rains last night reduced things to a clay
> slurry. Extreme distress and sadness is not for TV's, houses, or
> "things", but for the animals.
>
> We are staying tonight again, and until our landlord leaves on a bus
> tomorrow tomorrow for Puerto MOntt to join the rest of his family.
>
> We are heading across and up north, passing into Chile and landing in
> Entre Lagos. SAG has said finally people can pass through with their
> dogs and cats, and without the obligatory insurance on vehicles.
>
> Reports of 6 inches of ash are not materializing in Futa, however it
> is 4, and reduced to a hard slush. Local dogs have been left behind.
> We will leave a 50-pound bag of food at the Carabineros as they will
> care for all left behind.
>
> Futa is the most awesome place on the face of the earth because of the
> people. We are so heartsick for our friends and neighbors here. I
> have to say, if I had to choose where I had to live through a
> disaster, it would be here, in Futa.
>
> thank you so much for your concern.
>
> Vicki

Sorry, I have not been updating much this afternoon. I had a meeting a few hours outside of Temuco. We have however been sending emails and having phone conversations all day with the people in Futa that have evacuated and are now getting situated in various places around Southern Chile. Most are in Puerto Montt currently, and now that it seems everyone is kind of settling in for the long haul some sort of coordination seems to be occurring.

There is a pay pal account button floating around somewhere, that I am trying to track down for donations. We are still trying to get someone to put up an official bank account.

The vultures are circling:

We are seeing signs that the buzzards are starting to circle. I got an email today from someone offering $20,000 US for a tourism business in Futa that was listed for 100 million pesos saying something to the effect that, "because of the volcano you will no longer have tourist ..." (Think it was from Argentina, but not sure).

We want to do everything we can to protect the people in Futa while they are in such a vulnerable state.

So we have a new plan. We are going to be offering free legal aid to all the people from the area that need it. My wife is going to round up volunteers from the two law schools in Southern Chile she teaches at among the law students and professors to help, and our staff will coordinate.

I am sure at some point, there may be people that need to sell. Perhaps many at below the former market price, but right now is not the time for the leaches to suck the good people of Futa dry. We just want to buy them some time, and help them make well informed decisions when they do.

At this point, we are urging everyone we know in the area to not do anything yet; especially something they may regret for the rest of their lives if things turn out to be not nearly as bad as they seem. It just too early to tell.

Those that feel they have no choice and must sell to live type situations we want to help them do some damage control and do it right. Perhaps rather than selling everything, sell a few hectares to get by and hold on to the rest until it is completely clear that there is no hope. At least see if we can help them find some options.

What we are most concerned about right now are people signing desperate contracts at notaries all over Chile, and not understanding fully what the contracts mean. Right now no one can register properties, because the registry is closed in Chaiten.

So, in all our running around like Chickens with our heads cut off ( Ouch, sorry about that Vicki), we decided we would be most effective doing what we do best.

For the time being we are no longer going to represent new foreign buyers in Palena. We are going to represent the people of Futa that need it. We will put the word out to those that have been relocated, and we will be running a broadcast on the regional radios.

There was just a story on the news about how the Carabineros in Chaiten are refusing the president's orders for everyone to evacuate. There are still people in the town that refuse to leave, so they are refusing to leave because they need to take care of them. The President said that order meant everyone, and the head of the Carabineros said, "I have authority over my men, not the president". Which is sort of true.

Again, the Carabineros prove to be one of the most dedicated police forces in the World.