by Atlantis on Tue Mar 09, 2010 12:45 am
[size=200]THIS IS A BELATED TRANSLATION - DATED 5TH MARCH - AND I APOLOGIZE - PLEASE VERIFY WITH ZANDRA WHEN SHE IS BACK ONLINE
MAULE REGION
Order and security has been restored with the population returning to calm and normality, the region is under military control by the army, navy and reinforcements from the local police (Carabineros) and PDI (policia de investigaciones), special detective squad, totalling a 5,540 personnel also helping with aid distribution. The armed forces have established a curfew from 00:00 till 06:00 hours as from 5th of March for the towns of Cauquenes, Constitucion, Talca, Sagrada Familia, Molina and Curico.
Water is being distributed by trucks from the underground deposits of San Luis and Rio Claro and there is a current investigation on the fuel and electricity supplies in order to restore the operation of the pumps. The Licanten community is getting its water supply from trucks and Chanco, Pelluhue and Molina are receiving bottled water. San Clemente is backed up by an emergency stock.
As far as the electricity grid, 62,2% of the region is up and running while fuel is 64%, with 63 of the total of 99 petrol/gas stations in operational mode.
Telecommunications is gradually been restored with 51% of the mobile network and 75% of the land lines back.
All of the communities in the region have the transport network operating with just minor alterations in the frequency and number of passengers, but maintaining services nevertheless.
Roads are accessible from every corner and coastal roads are fully functional. The Mataquito, Mariscadero, Lautaro, Cauquenes # 1 and Estacion # 2, Curanipe, Municipal and El Parron bridges, plus a few others, have displacement issues and cracks or sinking of the concrete slab. There are however alternative routes.
Two mobile hospital units are backing up the hospital system in Talca and Constitucion as well as two extra clinics in Talca and Curico. Argentina has also promised three more medical units to be arriving within the next few days.
THE BIO BIO REGION
The law enforcement situation is back to normal with a more settled and calm population. The armed forces have a combined contingent of 11,083 personnel in the area. There have been 99 detainees, 35 of them due to violation of the curfew whilst the remaining due to looting.
The authorities have established a curfew between the hours of 6 pm tonight and noon tomorrow 4th of March. The Nuble province has an 8:30 pm until 7 am curfew whilst Bio Bio and Arauco will be restricted between 8 pm tonight and 6 am tomorrow morning.
Los Angeles and Chillan have 85% of the power back while Penco, Tome and San Pedro de la Paz can make use of 70% of the electricity grid. Concepcion, Coronel and Talcahuano however, only have 40% power restored.
30% of the gas/petrol stations are fully functional, the number being 52 of a total of 176.
Telecommunications is operational only 27% for the mobile network and 45% for the land lines.
The road structure is dismal, particularly in the coastal areas. Evaluations are being carried out from Dichato to the south to re-establish routes and the MOP - Ministerio de Obras Publicas - will do a fly-over in the morning to consider the options.
Prefab bridges were trucked in today to re-establish the Llacolen access to Concepcion from the south. Currently, traffic is restricted to one lane each way.
There are 18 hospitals in working order and Chillan has a further 25 bed mobile medical unit. In addition, Curanilahue has a hospital unit with a functioning operating theater and inpatient capacity. Two more field hospitals donated by Peru and Spain are due to arrive shortly.
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"Reality is the court of final appeal"
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