Mainstream emergency relief helps neighbouring families recover from flood devastation

At the end of June, heavy rains swept in across central and southern Chile, with the National Disaster Prevention and Response Service estimating the number of people impacted by flood waters at more than 13,000.

The Biobío region, some five hours south of Santiago by road, suffered widespread damage to agricultural areas, and it was here that dozens of households neighbouring one Mainstream wind project experienced flooding and loss of belongings.

Mainstream matched the value of state vouchers to allow affected families replace water-damaged goods

Responding to the situation in La Suerte and El Chequén, villages close to the operational Alena Wind Farm, where 23 families had been impacted, the company’s Communities team provided machinery for the clean-up operation and funds for replacement household essentials.

Carmen Ulloa, President of the El Chequén Neighborhood Council, welcomed the emergency aid, saying: “We thank the company for its tremendous contribution, which goes in direct support of our families, helping to rebuild the homes and replacing belongings lost in the flood.”

Local Municipal Delegate Fabiola Pascal added: “Without any doubt, this great support from the company helps each family in the process of purchasing household goods and repairing their homes. I positively emphasise the constant collaborative support that Mainstream maintains with the municipality of Los Angeles.”

Mainstream’s emergency response was coordinated by its Community Affairs team in collaboration with colleagues from Operations, Development, Finance and Legal departments.

Mainstream staff survey one of the flooded homes as they prepare to assist the local community in the clean-up operation

Affected families were identified using information provided by the local authority and community organisations, and financial support – matching the value of the government’s Recovery Vouchers – was distributed in the form of gift cards.

Mainstream’s Carola Villablanca said: “We feel part of the territories where we carry out our initiatives, so it is important to engage with all those who live in the sector.

“For this reason, we cannot be indifferent to situations such as those created by the heavy rainfall, which affected some neighboring families, and we hope that, with this help, we can contribute in part to their recovery.”