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EAGLE MOUNTAIN -- Volunteers and workers are going around the clock to clean up the aftermath of Saturday's earthquake in Chile.
Communication among the survivors is sparse, and families around the world are awaiting news from loved ones in Chile -- many in Utah.
For one family in Eagle Mountain, there's not much they can do except wait by the phone and hope for good news from Chile.
In fact, it's been all news, all the time at the Biscupovich home.
Barbara Biscupovich said, "It was shocking to me to start seeing the images that were coming in."
- For calls about American citizens in Chile contact: Chile Task Force 1-888-407-4747 or email: ChileEarthquake@state.gov
- For Inquiries about non-American citizens in another country (Chile) the state departments is directing people to their website. This website provides resources for connecting to an appropriate embassy.(www.travel.state.gov )
Somewhere in the middle of the chaos they're watching is Barbara's husband, Nicki. He was in the city of Concepcion, next to the epicenter, when Saturday's massive 8.8 earthquake hit.
"He was there visiting his aunt," Barbara said.
The family had planned a trip to their native country for spring break. Nicki had gone to Chile a few days before. Barbara and her daughter were waiting for their flight out of Atlanta Friday night.
They awoke to board the plane and learned every flight to Chile had been cancelled.
And they had no way of checking on Nicki.
"I still haven't been able to speak with my husband," Barbara said.
They know he survived the quake because he was able to leave a voicemail on the cell phone of his cousin. Barbara thinks that's the only number he could remember.
Related:
Clinton brings phones, promises to quake-hit Chile
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton made a small dent in Chile's growing needs following a massive earthquake, handing over 25 satellite phones Tuesday while promising more in the country's capital."He said that he had been lucky to find this phone, a pay phone on the streets, and that he just had a few minutes and that he needed to tell me that he was fine," Barbara said, "And that he was trying to find a way to get to Santiago from Concepcion."
She's not sure where he is, whether he's safe from the looting and erupting violence, but Barbara says she's sure he is thinking of the hundreds of people in need around him.
"He is very strong, physically and spiritually," she said. "He's always thinking about helping people, so my first thought of him was, ‘OK, he hasn't been able to reach me, so he's probably out there helping.'"
E-mail: jstagg@ksl.com
