Chileans armed as post-quake looting rife

ONE man swings a thick metal chain. Another grips an axe. An older gentleman favours a wooden pole. And a 20-year-old spoiling for a fight has prepared a garrotte – a menacing wire tied between two handles – to confront any intruders.

These and hundreds of other survivors of Chile’s devastating earthquake have organised neighbourhood watch groups, arming themselves and barricading streets to protect their damaged homes from looters. The groups have stepped in as police were overwhelmed by looting and soldiers were slow to restore order after an earthquake and tsunami.

“We take care of ourselves here,” said 51-year-old Maria Cortes. She stood watch in Poblacion Libertad – “Freedom Community” – a gritty collection of small duplexes along anindustrial road in the port town of Talcahuano. About 2,000 people live here around a common area three football fields long.

Most of Talcahuano was destroyed by Saturday’s magnitude-8.8 quake and tsunami, which ravaged a 700-km stretch of Chile’s Pacific coast. Downed bridges and damaged ordebris-strewn highways made transit difficult, if not impossible, in many areas. The official death toll reached 799 yesterday.

But Poblacion Libertad largely escaped damage. Here, residents talk about the “human earthquake” – a growing desperation of people without power,water, cooking gas and food. Many of its residents join the looting, taking food, drinks and anything else they can use from ruined stores, but return home fearful that others will do the same to them.

Others say they’re forced by need to leave their damaged homes for food and water, only to find what little they have left has been stolen. And so they have organised.

The men got planks of wood from a nearby lumber yard and nailed them to block entryways to the clusters of homes. They erected a barrier along an access road. The crime watch runs 24 hours.

“Each one organises and protects his own entrance,” said Cecilia San Hueza, 28. “We whistle to advise if there is anything suspicious.”

Throughout the quake zone, survivors lived in fear and fed on rumours of roving mobs. Gunfire punctuated the night in Concepcion, Lota and other towns.

Under a state of emergency declared on Sunday, about 14,000 troops were sent into the quake zone. They can shoot to kill if necessary.

The military says that hasn’t happened. Yet.