Thursday, October 05, 2006


October 5th, 2006

Well, it's been a long time since I last updated the situation here. That is mainly because I finishing writing my masters thesis, and then had to defend it and make some small modifications. At the same time, I have been preparing to return to the United States, so all in all I've been very busy. Naturally, the situation has also been less dramatic during that time, so I just haven't felt as much a need to share my thoughts. Finally, I haven't been back to the areas that John and I delivered food to because it has just been too depressing a thought, and so I don't have the insight that I previously did as to the situation there.

With that said, I certainly can update some information. During the last 6 weeks there has been very little volcanic activity. From what I understand that isn't surprising for three reasons: 1) uring the last eruptive period almost 90 years ago, there were periods of up to 6 months between major explosions, 2) during this eruptive period, which started in 1999, years have passed between the biggest explosions, and 3) in general the eruptive periods aren't longer than a decade, so this one could be ending. In other words, nobody knows what's going on, it just shouldn't surprise us that there is currently little activity. That said, in the last couple of weeks, I have seen ash columns rising from grandma more frecuently than I had since mid-August.

In the meantime, Salasaca has completely recovered, which means that my most pessimistic feelings about the destruction of an entire province haven't come to fruition. Essentially, we got one day of huge quantities of ash, but since have been allowed to rest, clean things up, and the ash has actually been beneficial for the crops that weren't destroyed because it serves as fertilizer. The wind resumed its normal course, which is why we were given this reprieve. On the other hand, the areas that we helped are never allowed to rest and got feet of ash, which they can't even clear away and which overwhelms the plants. In those areas, hundreds of cattle died, though the food that we gave to the people there must of been an enormous help to the people who needed their animals to survive until larger scale help could arrive.

Here in Salasaca, a few cattle died in the second half of August. Since then, people became more cautious. So, Rosa when she cuts grass to feed the cows then washes it in water before giving it to them. Also, molasses apparently cleans out a cows belly, so we bought a jug of molasses and mixed it with water when we gave the animals their water. I know of no people here in Salasaca who got seriously sick and of no homes that were damaged. Life is basically back to normal. On the other hand, the places we helped have major problems and a few communities will be relocated (including Bilbao), while the others basically will have to completely rebuild their houses.

The official government help has been weak, but that is no surprise. I think it basically has been sufficient for most of the people and animals not to die, and nothing more. Currently, the presidential campaign is the only news story, since the elections are on October 15th, and various candidates make huge promises to help the poor, and specifically talk about plans for Tungurahua, but they will never fulfill their promises. That is life in Ecuador.

Finally, I am posting on the blog a photograph of Chimborazo taken about a week after the last major explosion. What is striking for those of us with familiarity with Chimborazo, is that it is black. That is a 6310 meter (something like 21,000 feet) mountain with no visible snowcap, not something one is likely to see much in life. Also, the Wikipedia entry for Tungurahua is worth a look. There is a link to it on the column to the right of the blog. I wrote a small portion of it and also have allowed the usage of some of the photographs on this page for it.

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