Chile Declares "Catastrophe" As 7.5 Feet Of Snow Bury Lonquimay In North Lake District - 8 Towns Hit

[hatrack]

(CNN) -- Chilean officials declared a "catastrophe" in eight municipalities Wednesday after heavy snow blanketed communities and blocked roads in what the nation's interior minister called a "white earthquake."

"It has snowed more than ever," Curacautin Mayor Jorge Saquel told CNN Chile Tuesday. "This is an anomaly. ... This worries us because the meteorologists assure us that new snowstorms are coming." In the city of Lonquimay, officials said snow had piled more than 2.3 meters (7.5 feet) high.

Interior Minister Rodrigo Hinzpeter on Wednesday called the situation a "white earthquake" and asked the country's military and public works officials to help citizens in some of the hardest-hit areas in the country's central Araucania region.

"This storm is strong and it is likely that in the coming days we could suffer from more bad weather fronts, more heavy snowfall, that make the situation even worse," Hinzpeter said. "But of course when this occurs, our government will always be on the side of those who are suffering, using all the tools provided by our legal system."

EDIT

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/americas/07/20/chile.snow/

[patrice]

1. Chile, the people who SELL us a lot of the fruits & veggies that some of us eat. nt

[pscot]

2. Pictures

There's a slide show. Just click on the photo at this link. http://www.emol.com/



cow


sheep


rider

[NecklyTyler]

3. Go green, ride your horse to work

Sometimes being far behind results in actually being ahead.