In the news release, USAID Provides Earthquake Assistance to Chile, issued
16-May-2008 by U.S. Agency for International Development over PR Newswire, we
are advised by the organization that the headline should read "USAID Provides
Volcano Assistance to Chile" rather than "USAID Provides Earthquake Assistance
to Chile" as originally issued inadvertently. The complete, corrected release
follows:
USAID Provides Volcano Assistance to Chile
WASHINGTON, May 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American people, through the
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), have provided $80,000 to
assist the Chilean geological agency SERNAGEOMIN to monitor current volcanic
conditions at the Chaiten volcano.
On May 2, the Chaiten volcano, located 760 miles south of the capital city of
Santiago, began to erupt and spew molten rock and ash, after being dormant for
173 years. In response, the Government of Chile issued a red alert, forcing
people living within a 30-mile radius of the volcano to evacuate. As of May
14, local authorities had evacuated approximately 8,000 people living near the
volcano. The most affected areas include the cities of Chaiten, Futuleufu, El
Amarille, and Chana.
In response to the volcano eruption, U.S. Ambassador to Chile Paul E. Simons
offered the Government of Chile assistance through the U.S. Geological Survey
Volcano Disaster Assistance Program (VDAP).
As of May 9, SERNAGEOMIN was monitoring eruptive activity using four seismic
stations near the volcano. The technology at these stations requires that a
person travel to the stations to collect data on the volcano. With funding
from USAID, VDAP will install new telemetered seismic stations and assist
SERNAGEOMIN with data interpretation. In addition, on May 16, VDAP sent a
three-person team of experts to Chile to assist with station and telemetry
installation and to provide support with data interpretation.
USAID will continue to monitor the situation and coordinate with the
Government of Chile.
For more information about USAID's emergency humanitarian assistance programs,
please visit:
www.usaid.gov/our_work/humanitarian_assistance/disaster_assistance/.
The American people, through the U.S. Agency for International Development,
have provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for nearly 50
years.
Public Information: 202-712-4810
SOURCE U.S. Agency for International Development
USAID Press Office, +1-202-712-4320
