Sofía Yanjarí

Photographer
   
Chilean Chernobyl
Location: Santiago, Chile
Nationality: chilean
Biography: My documentary work has a main interest in social issues, in topics such as human rights, migration, feminism and news coverage. I have a Bachelor of visual arts and a painter degree and also the title of professional photographer. Currently... MORE
Public Story
Chilean Chernobyl
Copyright Sofía Yanjarí 2024
Updated Aug 2022
Topics Climate Change, Community, Conflict, Documentary, Environment, Human Rights, Journalism, Latin America, Photography, Photojournalism, Reportage, Social Justice
Summary
"Chilean Chernobyl": when going to the beach becomes a risky activity.
The chilean Chernobyl


The area of Quinteros and Puchuncaví, in the Valparaíso Region, together with Coronel, Huasco, Mejillones and Tocopilla, make up Chile's five environmental sacrifice zones. This name is due to the fact that in each zone there is a high concentration of polluting industries, which is detrimental to the health of the population living in them.
Several episodes of pollution have been experienced in the bay since 2018, where only in one episode, more than 1700 people were intoxicated by toxic gases emanating from companies in the sector. The children of the surrounding schools, have been the most affected by these episodes.
Even so, the population carries out its daily activities in the Ventanas bay, the neighbors surf and fish at the foot of the industries, among the pipes. Many citizens work in these companies, which provide employment in one of the most vulnerable areas of the country.
The fishermen of Quinteros no longer extract their products from the area; they must move to the high seas to be able to work.
Justice has not yet found those responsible or convicted, while the inhabitants of Quinteros and Puchuncaví continue to live next to these 20 companies as neighbors.

El Chernobyl chileno.

La zona de Quinteros y Puchuncaví, en la Región de Valparaíso, junto con Coronel, Huasco, Mejillones y Tocopilla, conforman las cinco zonas de sacrificio ambiental de Chile. Este nombre se debe a que en cada zona existe una alta concentración de industrias contaminantes, lo que perjudica la salud de la población que vive en ellas.
Varios episodios de contaminación se han vivido en la bahía desde el 2018, donde solo en un episodio, más de 1700 personas resultaron intoxicadas por gases tóxicos emanados de empresas del sector. Los niños de los colegios del entorno, han sido los más afectados por estos episodios.
Aún así, la población realiza sus actividades diarias en la bahía de Ventanas, los vecinos surfean y pescan al pie de las industrias, entre las tuberías. Muchos ciudadanos trabajan en estas empresas, que dan empleo en una de las zonas más vulnerables del país.
Los pescadores de Quinteros ya no extraen sus productos de la zona, deben trasladarse a altamar para poder trabajar.
La justicia aún no ha encontrado responsables ni condenados, mientras los habitantes de Quinteros y Puchuncaví siguen viviendo junto a estas 20 empresas como vecinos.

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Chilean Chernobyl by Sofía Yanjarí
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