Curico Earthquake March 9, 2010
Posted by bohdan.warchomij in : Aftermath, Chile, Disaster, Photojournalism, Relief , trackbackJessica Phelps is a young photographer from Ohio currently working in a community center in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Santiago, Chile. She has contributed to Metaphor Online from Haiti and contributes her images from a devastated Curico.
Here are her words from Santiago and Curico:
“3.30am Friday morning in Santiago and I was in a deep sleep. I woke up slowly to the sensation of my bed shaking. It wasn’t until I heard my roommate yelling my name that I understood what was happening. I jumped out of bed and ran to the hallway to see Gonzalo motioning me to come to him.We stood under his door frame hugging, terrified as the earthquake intensified; we were being shaken violently for an eternal three minutes. He kept reassuring me we would be all right. When everything was still again we rushed to get dressed and ran down the six flights of stairs to the park outside. And there we waited in complete darkness for the morning light to come along with information of what had happened.
I was shocked when I learned how strong the earthquake was and even more surprised to walk around Santiago and see almost everything still standing. As the weekend progressed and news came out about the damage further south I knew I had to go to see for myself. Accompanied by my camera I went to a small town called Curico. There had been many reports of looting but here I found the people beginning to organize their lives.Listening to their stories was heartbreaking. The family whose home had been destroyed and were now sleeping in a bus at night too afraid to sleep in the remains of their house. The parents who had lost their infant child.
But more impressive was the amount of donations collected by this town andbeing sorted by its residents to be passed out to those left with nothing.Everyone in this town was helping to clear away rubble and start the process of rebuilding. They were told that temporary houses would be built outside the center of town by the government while they awaited their new homes, but many there do not have confidence that this will happen and are more comfortable relying on neighbors
This town still had no electricity, no T.V., no communication outside itselfand only one radio station near the center of town was still in operation.
I left Curico with mixed feelings. Heartbroken at the amount of devastation, but also inspired to see this town pulling together, neighbors helping neighbors.”
CURICO, Chile –Curicó (kūrēkō’), “Black Waters” in Mapudungun, originally meaning “Land of Black Water”, is the name of the capital of Curicó Province, part of the Region del Maule in Chile’s central valley. The 8.8 richter scale earthquake has devastated the city. The worst-hit area of Curico, founded in 1743 and situated in a picturesque fruit- and wine-producing area, has been its historic quarter.
The 18th-century San Francisco Church lies in ruins alongside ruined 19th-century homes as well as the 100-year-old building that once housed the city’s La Prensa newspaper.
- Wheelchair, Curico. Photo Jessica Phelps
- Crushed car Curico Chile Photo Jessica Phelps
- Firefighters and Military in Curico Photo Jessica Phelps
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