Chile hit by 'white earthquake' of heavy snow

Telegraph ^ | 22 Jul 2011 | Robin Yapp

[george76]

A "white earthquake" of heavy snow has blanketed parts of Chile leading the government to declare a "disaster area" in eight municipalities where around 16,000 people were left isolated.

Temperatures plunged to as low as -23 C (-9.4F) in some rural areas as severe snowfall wreaked havoc, leaving people without food supplies, mobile phone signals or radio communications.

Miguel Mellado, governor of the province of Cautin, said that in four days from Sunday to Wednesday the area had seen "four months worth of snowfall."

In the town of Lonquimay, around 350 miles south of the capital Santiago, more than 6,500 people were trapped in their homes after snow piled up to 2.3 metres (7ft 6ins), while in surrounding rural areas it was reported to have reached 9ft.

According to the Chilean newspaper El Mercurio, the sub-zero temperatures froze pipes leaving many residents without water while even fuel in car's petrol tanks had become frozen.

Although severe cold weather is not unusual in the region, close to the border with Argentina, Mr Pinera described the current polar front as the worst it had seen in 30 years.

[Keith in Iowa]

More of that AlGore Global Warming....

[rellimpank]

—should help the skiing at Portillo-—

[null and void]

ping

[Kartographer]

Waiting with bated breath for the those who will tell us how these people are a bunch of ‘wussies’ and how the summers were they live are colder and rougher than what there people are experiencing.

[george76]

Chilly in Chile

[Cuttnhorse]

Hi Nully,

Glad I’m here in the Yukon where...oh wait, it’s crappy up here too!! Has been a very cold and rainy “summer” up here...barely 60 here in Dawson right now.

[thackney]

Hard for those in other countries to know what is normal for that area.

6” of snow in Houston, TX shuts the city down.

6” of snow in Valdez, AK doesn’t even get mentioned on the news.

[livius]

Sometimes I forget that they are also “Down Under” and that this is not surfing season down there (well, unless you’re really hardy!).

[nevergore]

Heck...I used to walk to school through more snow than that...

Uphill both ways....

NeverGore never disapoints..... :^)

[Hatteras]

Damn southerners. Sheesh...

[Kartographer]

You are correct and you get 3-6 inches of snow in some place like Houston, Atlanta or even Albuquerque and believe me you don't want to be out. There are mainly just a few salt/sand trucks, fewer or no plows. And you get even a little snow with a good cold snap and the roads are going to be icy for days. One bad thing here is often the sun is is bright it will melt the ice and snow during the day, but as soon as the sun goes down the temp drops very quickly and the stuff refreeze because with no plows most of the stuff just lies there as the drains are blocked and once it refreeze whoa nelly! But it the fact as you pointed out things aren't the same all over, but it never seems to dawn on so many who love to brag, beat their chest about how much tougher they have it.

[steve86]

while even fuel in car's petrol tanks had become frozen

Right.

Diesel can gel, yes.

[Paladin2]

3 feet of global warming.

Is ManBearPig in SA?

[Paladin2]

"Waiting with bated breath for the those who will tell us how these people are a bunch of ‘wussies’"

Unprepared and wusses.

[SuziQ]

Well, it IS winter, in Chile, after all.

[Paladin2]

"while even fuel in car's petrol tanks had become frozen"

Aha!. Finally, a use for gasohol.

[Inyo-Mono]

6” of snow in Houston, TX shuts the city down.

6” of snow in Valdez, AK doesn’t even get mentioned on the news.

Like here in the High Sierra of California, 8 feet of snow falling in one day doesn't even warrant a mention in the news.

[steelyourfaith]

Thanx for the ping george76 !

 

Beam me to Planet Gore !

[Clive]

One never knows the kind of wierd phenomena can be caused by Anthropogenic global warming.