Chilean President Declares Catastrophe, Emergency Zones

[Mark]

SANTIAGO - Chilean President Michelle Bachelet Wednesday declared the regions in the central south of the country as catastrophe and agriculture emergency zones, due to days of massive rainfalls in the area.

Bachelet visited the regions of Araucania, Bio Bio and Los Rioson Wednesday morning, and told the press that "resources will be used to those in need, like we have done in other emergencies. The government will stay next to the people, like we always do."

Bachelet also called on people in the disaster region to be patient, since aid work will begin first with the most urgent cases.

The rains, considered the strongest in 30 years, flooded 17,000hectares of land and left more than 20,000 victims, bringing a loss of over 70 million U.S. dollars, according to a report of the National Office of Emergency (Onemi).

The Onemi said that 300 tons of materials including food, blankets, mats and coal have been distributed to the victims so far.

Bachelet was scheduled to meet with local authorities together with Interior Vice Minister Felipe Harboe. She would also visit Carahue, a locality that has been out of drinking water since Tuesday.