A group of residents in the Playa Anakena area of Las Condes is considering calling a protest. They object to the area, near the intersection of Vital Apoquindo and Nueva Bilbao, currently serving as a dumping site for mud and debris left by the mudslide in the municipality.
According to El Mostrador, which compiled accounts published by Radio ADN, residents say the constant passage of trucks brings congestion, noise and dust. They also say they struggle to get around the neighborhood's streets and reach public transportation.
"All the houses here too, we get it (the dust)," one affected resident told ADN. Another resident complained that material removed from damaged areas ends up in his neighborhood: "We have to swallow the shit they take out up there."
The complaints also concern the condition of the accumulated material and uncertainty over how long the stockpiling site will remain in operation. That concern prompted some residents to propose a protest.
The Municipality of Las Condes responded that using Playa Anakena is an emergency measure. According to the municipality, dumping will continue until next Wednesday at the latest, when it expects to have another stockpiling site ready. The sources do not specify where that new site will be.
The municipal administration maintained that the operation does not endanger residents' health. It did acknowledge that truck movements could cause traffic congestion in the area. "We regret the inconvenience and appreciate residents' understanding in the face of the emergency we are experiencing as a municipality," the municipality said in its response.
The dispute comes as work continues to clean up and remove material carried by the mudslide, which affected homes and streets in various parts of Las Condes. So far, residents have not set a date for a possible protest. The municipality, meanwhile, maintains Wednesday as the deadline for relocating the stockpiling site.