President Sebastián Piñera declared much of La Araucania in Chilean Patagonia, disaster areas on Wednesday, as four days of non-stop snowfall have isolated the region’s predominantly rural communities and wreaked havoc on basic utilities.
Home to pristine forests and the indigenous Mapuche people, Chile’s Araucanía Region is rich with tourism potential. However, according to the government, the area needs a facelift in order to capitalize on its resources.