Back soon

On June 22, my father passed away from pancreatic cancer. He brought my family to Bolivia for the first time from in 1967 for two unforgettable years. In 2001, he returned with my mother to visit again, having always held a special place in his heart for this beautiful land.

I regret the absence from so much which has been developing here in Bolivia and hope to return soon to the important dialogues in which this country is engaged. Meanwhile, I welcome all to join and participate on this blog.

Early morning explosions rock La Paz

About a dozen large explosions rocked downtown La Paz this morning, commencing at about 6:01 local (10:01 UTC). The blasts, lasting over approximately 8 minutes, appear to have come from the Plaza Murillo area. No illumination was visible from the blasts, and in the morning darkness it is still too early to see any smoke or other visible signs of damage. There is no local televised news programming scheduled at this hour. More as it becomes available.

(Today is Bolivia's Independence Day - 180 years since becoming a republic in 1825.)

Chilean quake rattles La Paz

A 7.9 magntitude quake struck northern Chile this evening at 22:44 GMT. The epicenter, about 250 miles southwest of La Paz, is a mountainous region far from the coast so tsunami activity is not anticipated. Reuters reports one death in Chile as the result of a landslide triggered by the quake, and widespread damage. (The rest of the world's media seems to be too interested in Michael Jackson's acquittal this afternoon to pay much attention.)

Chile's National Office of Emergency Services (ONEMI) has declared a red alert for the region. The country's vice president and various ministers have been dispatched to the affected area by Air Force aircraft. A second plane is flying 15 tons of shelter supplies to interior locations in the region. ONEMI reports at least one casualty, 80-year-old Dionisio Pérez, who was crushed in his home, and numerous others injured.

Tectonic activity is relatively common in this region where the Pacific's Nazca plate subducts beneath the South American plate. The last major event in this region, June 23, 2001, was centered off the coast of Arequipa in southern Peru and caused a tremendous amount of damage, destroying 80% of the homes and most of the infrastructure in that region. Most of the agricultural systems in that area were also ruined as a consequence of the accompanying tsunami. That quake measured 8.1 and was recorded as far away as Japan.

Here in La Paz, no one with whom I've spoken felt the quake. Because I live on the 11th floor of my apt building, it was quite noticeable. Preliminary estimates of the quake's magnitude here in Bolivia are around 3 to 3.5. Although I've had my share of ground shaking experiences in California, this is the first I've experienced in a high-rise building: not fun.

Earlier today, a 5.6 magnitude quake struck about 200 miles southwest of Banda Aceh, Indonesia. I've been able to find no reports on this event, however.