Hams help out in vol­cano drama
Chilean and Argen­tine offi­cials issued a red alert for the increas­ing­ly active Copahue vol­cano that bor­ders the two coun­tries and ordered 3,000 peo­ple to evacuate.
Jorge Sier­ra LU1AS reports the dra­ma has seen mem­bers of the Radio­club Neuquén on the scene in Argenti­na, request­ed by provin­cial authorities.
The job for them has been to help pro­vide a com­mu­ni­ca­tions sys­tem used by the Min­istry of Health ambu­lances so they can con­tact their base.
From Chile comes news that increased activ­i­ty could lead to a vol­canic erup­tion. The evac­u­a­tions with­in a 25-kilo­me­tre (15.5‑mile) radius on the vol­cano are being ordered. The weath­er has been poor in the area as heavy rain and ash con­tin­ues to fall.
— Jim Lin­ton VK3PC, Chair­man IARU Region 3 Dis­as­ter Com­mu­ni­ca­tions Com­mit­tee, with input from IARU R2 Emer­gency Coor­di­na­tor César Pío San­tos HR2P.