The collaborative and ongoing work of Codelco División El Teniente with the community and regional and local authorities allowed the copper company to obtain support to deal with the effects of the climatic event that affected the central-southern part of the country last weekend.

Teams from the Division were deployed to support residents affected by the rain in Las Cabras, Doñihue, Coltauco, Rancagua and Alhué with supplies and machinery.

Germán Sandoval, Sustainability and External Affairs Manager at El Teniente, explained that “our purpose is to provide social value to our communities and it is in these emergencies that our commitment to be with our neighbors is redoubled. We are permanently available to the authorities to continue supporting them in whatever is necessary.”

Last weekend, in critical flooding areas, representatives of the copper company delivered mattresses, blankets, shovels, boots and gloves to the Emergency Department of Las Cabras and neighborhood councils of Doñihue.

Deployment of trucks and machinery

In Rancagua, the mining company organized support with a Supersucker truck (which extracts water and mud), water trucks and backhoes to remove water from homes and internal roads in Santa Elena, one of the areas most affected by the overflow of the La Cadena Estuary, which flooded houses, plots of land and agricultural land.

Fabio López, presidential delegate for the O'Higgins region, commented that "as always, we must thank Codelco División El Teniente for its tremendous willingness to contribute to the community. They provided us with a Supersucker truck that helped alleviate the problems of the residents of the Los Huertos sector."

In Doñihue and Coltauco, a Supersucker truck was also used to prevent homes from flooding. “We have had long-standing ties with these communities for many years and we want to support them in these difficult times,” explained the director of Community Development of El Teniente, Cristián Sanhueza.

Cleaning in Alhué wetlands

In the Metropolitan Region, the copper company constantly monitored the level of overflowing culverts on the roads of the commune of Alhué, a town close to the operations of the reservoir that Codelco has in the area. Machinery was also provided for cleaning and clearing the Alhué and Carén estuaries.

Mayor Roberto Torres said, “We thank Codelco for the work that was done to widen the estuary and to use the entire width of the culvert in this area so that there would be a normal flow of water.”

At the beginning of winter, Codelco División El Teniente is committed to continuing to support the communities in its areas of influence, both in its communal emergency plans and in the reinforcement of programs and plans that improve the quality of life of the community.