Flooding: CMPC continues providing personal care products and fuel to dry affected homes

Although the storm has decreased in intensity, 29 of the company’s multipurpose brigades continue to clear roads and canals for the evacuation of rainwater in order to better handle the next storm front expected to arrive this week.

The CMPC team, through its multipurpose brigades (29) and its community relations professionals, has continued to support and respond to the priority needs of the families affected by the storm in the regions of Ñuble, La Araucanía and especially Biobío in Chile. Last Friday, CMPC delivered several basic necessities manufactured by its subsidiary Softys, including paper towels, toilet paper, wet wipes and diapers, among others. Delivery to the victims began in conjunction with the Presidential Delegation of the Province of Biobío.

The products were unloaded at two strategic points: at the Mountain Detachment of the Los Angeles Regiment and in the municipality of Nacimiento. This made it possible to reach the shelters located in the districts of Los Ángeles, Laja, San Rosendo, Mulchén, Nacimiento, Negrete, Santa Juana and Collipulli more quickly.

The mission is to help dry out the houses

This Monday, 3,000 sacks of charcoal from Lumaco also arrived at the Los Angeles Regiment for immediate distribution. “We know that a lot of families and local residents whose homes were affected are damp or even wet with leaks, seepage or, in the worst cases, have been totally flooded. Coal is a good option to heat the houses and start drying them out. This will enable our neighbors to begin to get back to normal and their regular routines more quickly,” said Ignacio Lira, Public Affairs Manager at CMPC Bosques.

These 3,000 bags are planned to be distributed in the most affected areas, which are the districts of Santa Juana, Hualqui, Los Ángeles, Mulchén and Nacimiento.

Other ongoing efforts

In addition, CMPC’s multipurpose brigades continue to work on clearing roads and canals. This work is essential because, considering that the groundwater tables are at full capacity, the water must be drained efficiently so that inhabited sectors are not affected again. At the same time, in Contulmo, the brigades have continued to cooperate with firefighters, the Carabinero police force and PDI investigative personnel in the search for José Marilao, who has been lost since the days leading up to the storm.

Also, CMPC’s relationship professionals delivered drinking water to residents of the Pile and Santa Adriana sectors in Santa Bárbara, affected by a water main breakage. The company also provided support with a backhoe to find the breakage and facilitate needed repairs.

Finally, the company reported that of the four command posts set up by its Meteorological Emergency Command, those at Villa Mininco, Nacimiento and Laja ended their work on Friday at 8:00 PM after the end of the bad weather front. Only the one located at the Los Angeles Regiment remains in place, as a preventive measure in view of the new front that began to affect the southern part of the country again on Monday.