Chaitén: The Commune that Refused to Die Despite Being Declared Uninhabitable by the Government

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On May 1, 2008, the Chaitén volcano, in the Lagos region, erupted, forcing its more than 4,000 inhabitants to evacuate the area in less than 48 hours, only with what they put on, leaving their homes and animals behind. A year later, as a result of a second collapse of the volcano, the then Minister of the Interior, Edmundo Pérez Yoma, declared: “Chaitén, unfortunately, has died.” However, the Chaiteninos decided to return and rebuild their homes…