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CHILE EARTHQUAKE UPDATE
Save The Waves Coalition responds to disaster in surf-rich zone of Central Chile
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March 3, 2010
17856 visits
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The massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunamis that ripped through Chile on Saturday
have killed over 800 people and devastated coastal communities, particularly in the Central Maule-Itata region. Many of the smaller coastal towns have suffered enormous destruction, including to most infrastructure.
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With support pouring into Chile from all parts of the world, including from the surf industry, Save The Waves, local residents, and international travelers have begun assembling ground crews in the coastal town of Pichilemu. Teams are already running supplies from Pichilemu to the surrounding areas while organizing runs further south to the areas hardest hit from the massive earthquake and subsequent tsunamis with the support of Save the Waves. The earthquake epicenter was about three miles offshore of the surf region of Curanipe, where Save The Waves' main Chile program, Vigilante Costero, is headquartered. The surf towns of Cobquecura, Buchupureo, Curanipe, Constitucion and Pichilemu have all been severely damaged by the earthquake and a large tsunami. Punta de Lobos was partially hit by the tsunami. Jeje and other Lobos surfers and fishermen are all safe, but lost their homes. The coastal road in Pichilemu is flooded and destroyed in several places and numerous beachfront homes and restaurants have been destroyed. Miraculously, only two lives confirmed lost in Pichilemu so far. Fishing boats were washed into downtown Pichilemu and one person was killed by falling debris at the Disco 127 in Pichilemu. In Curanipe, the wave reached inland 500 feet to the town's only traffic light and the nearby campground took a direct hit from the wave. As of Sunday, Save The Waves' Vigilante Costero office headquarters was still cut off and there was very little direct news from Curanipe. In Cobquecura and Buchupureo there is significant damage to homes and roads from the earthquake and the wave. Cobquecura is 60% destroyed but miraculously there have been very few deaths reported; everyone appears to have had time to flee their homes and head to higher ground because the quake started very slowly and then intensified over two very long minutes. Nachi Vargas' Lobos del Pacifico Surf School and Elvis's Manzana 54 Surf School at La Puntilla in Pichilemu were both badly damaged by the tsunami. The tsunami flooded the city of Constitucion and reached at least two miles inland there, dragging fishing boats into the city's downtown central plaza. High profile professional surfers have jumped in to support the relief efforts, led by Chile's own Ramon Navarro, who was traveling to the Todos Santos Big Wave Event in Mexico when the earthquake hit. Navarro, a Save The Waves surf ambassador, is working with Quiksilver's Quinn Campbell, on the ground in Pichilemu and Billabong's Chris Evans in California to activate swift relief efforts via Save The Waves. Says, Navarro, "I sincerely appreciate support for Chile from my international surf community, Kelly Slater, Rob Machado, Malloy brothers, Kohl Christenson, Save The Waves, Jon Rose from Waves for Water, Greg Long's whole family, Patagonia and others -- they have shown they're true friends and care a lot for Chile. Chile needs your help so please get involved." The Malloy brothers are organizing a benefit concert in the Santa Barbara/Ventura area to drive relief efforts with support of major names in the surf and music worlds TBA. Save The Waves ambassador Greg Long along with Kohl Christensen have committed to traveling to Chile in the coming days to carry water filters and to help with efforts on the ground. Part-time Chile resident Jesse Faen has been rallying people all week. On Wednesday, Save The Waves also dispatched environmental director Josh Berry and a small team to Chile, to rendezvous with ground crews there and assist in relief efforts. Save The Waves has an initial supply of 1000 emergency water filtration systems en route through a partnership with Jon Rose and Waves for Water. Waves for Water successfully provided clean water through filters in the wake of the Haiti disaster, as well as the Padang earthquake last year. These initial filters will provide clean drinking water for up to 10,000 people across the coastal areas in Chile hardest hit, and distribution of the filters is a major focus of relief efforts. HOW YOU CAN HELP: International support: Save The Waves Coalition: Online donations: http://www.savethewaves.org/ Donations by check: Save The Waves Coalition PO Box 183, Davenport, CA 95017, USA; +1-831-426-6169 Mark "Chile Earthquake" in comments/memo fields Save The Waves Nonprofit Tax ID # 36-4515216 Contact: Lindsey Davis, +1-831-426-6169, lindsey@savethewaves.org Local support (product & other donations): Polanco's Supermercado, Calle Principal, Pichilemu, Chile The Pichilemu Institute of Language Studies: www.studyspanishchile.com Local contact: Quinn Campbell, +1-714-293-0620 cell, quinn.campbell@quiksilver.com MORE SURF NEWS SURFLINE HOME PAGE |