Bachelet schedules emergency Chaitén meeting before leaving for Lima

SANTIAGO.- Before traveling to Lima this afternoon to participate in the Latin American-European Union Summit, President Bachelet has decided to call a last-minute midday meeting between the ministers in charge of emergency response in the province of Palena.

According to reports, President Bachelet has called the ministers together to evaluate the current situation within the area being affected by the eruption of the Chaitén volcano and recent river overflow, which has flooded 90% of the homes in the municipality. 

Another topic to be addressed at the meeting is the scope of the measures that have been announced by the government to offer aid to families who were forced to abandon their homes and will not be able to return to Chaitén for at least three more months as a result of the natural disaster.