Couple waits to leave Chile

Brian Power and Debbie Mann climbed the Villarrica Volcano in Pucon before they travelled to Chile, where an earthquake struck, killing hundreds on the weekend.

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YEPPOON couple Debbie Mann and Brian Power are staying in a humble bed and breakfast in earthquake-struck Chile as they wait to get out of the country.

On Monday the pair told how they'd never been so scared as when the 8.8 magnitude earthquake hit.

Yesterday, Debbie, 53, contacted The Morning Bulletin to let people know they were going well and trying to get out of the country to continue their adventure.

Emailing from a small cafe near Vin Del Mar, north of Valparaiso, Debbie said the availability of water and electricity varied from one street to the next and from hour to hour.

“I've searched this town (Vin del Mar) and found the only café with internet,” said Debbie, a teacher at Yeppoon State High School who has taken a year's long-service leave.

“We just got a whole swag of emails from our children, family and friends.”

She said there wasn't much to smile about in Chile.

“After we spent the day in Valparaiso, helping the hostel owners clean up, we decided to leave our poor barrio, because they had enough problems, without having to look after us,” Debbie said.

“We walked around the town, Valparaiso, trying to keep a low profile and not taking photos.

“We felt very voyeuristic and out of place.

“With no electricity, clean water, no refrigeration or much available food, we decided not to drain their valuable resources.

“Looting also started the next day, which shocked us – heavily armed police and army on the streets, violent tussles and arrests.”

She said Chile was one of the richest countries in South America, after Brazil, but that wealth was not spread evenly.

“Many people live from hand to mouth and if their livelihood is disrupted, even for a day, they don't have any money to buy food,” Debbie said.

“I am sure many of the looters are opportunists, but a lot of them are simply breaking into the supermarkets for food.

“Most of the roads to Santiago are damaged and the violence is growing there too, with looting etc, so we decided to get a local bus to the beaches up near the really rich touristy town of Vin Del Mar, which has turned out a good move, as there is less damage here and less desperation, and we are not conspicuously different.

“We are the only guests in a humble bed and breakfast run by a lovely old man, who was grateful for our custom.”

She said they had no electricity, but did have water.

“We had our first hot shower (gas) and a nice meal and practised our Spanish with him in the dark last night, while he brought us beautiful local peaches and nectarines to eat,” Debbie said.

“Queuing in the crowded Lan Chile Airlines office this morning made us feel really guilty.

“Other people were trying to get home, and we are just trying to continue our holiday to Easter Island.

“The airport building in Santiago is wrecked, but the runway is okay.

“They say it won't be open for a week or so, but to come back every day to check.

“There are no refunds, only credit for Lan Chile, so we are re-assessing our options and having a rest. We don't know whether to wait or not.”

She said after Easter Island they planned to go on to Bolivia and Peru on their way around South America.

“We are just going with the flow and trying to digest the enormity of this disaster for Chile and how lucky we are,” Debbie said.

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Yeppoon pair survives Chile quake