The Plight of Taray

While in Pisaq, I met a woman who was from a nearby village, called Taray, and was living temporarily at a hotel in Pisaq.  I asked her about what happened and she said that she had been living there 17 years and never had a problem, then one night the river came roaring into town during the night, destroying 80% of the homes and killing ten people.  Many were stranded in their homes, unable to leave, and most people had rocks and silt come in through the windows and doors, leaving dirt four feet deep throughout the houses.

Taray, seen from above

Everyone had to leave town, but then I asked what sort of government programs there were for this situation.  She said that the village has a decision to make.  The government has decided that the area is unsafe so they will not be sanctioning rebuilding efforts.  If the villagers decide to rebuild, they will not receive any assistance at all.  However, if they decide to pack up and move, they will get about $4000 each.  The kicker is it has to be a group decision.

Obviously the standard of living is very different here, and you could actually probably buy a small prefabricated home for $1000, but it would be small and not nice and not include things you might need like a stove.  Most of the villagers were farmers that will have to buy new crops and livestock to get reestablished, and in the meantime would have no source of income at all.

What would you do?  Let’s say that, by a Canadian standard of living, the government is offering $40,000 for you to move to a different town, after your home was destroyed in an earthquake or hurricane or fire.  You don’t have insurance.  Would you pick to stay where you are, where you might know people and have roots there, or pack up and move, with nothing but $40,000?