Chilean fishermen brave tsunami fears, dream of sea (Reuters)

TUBUL, Chile (Reuters) –

Undeterred by terrifying memories of a roaring tsunami that nearly killed him, Chilean fisherman Herne Pezo hammers away at his tiny boat, yearning to return to sea as soon as it's fixed.

The giant waves triggered by an 8.8-magnitude earthquake on February 27 washed away coastal towns in south-central Chile, killing hundreds and leaving thousands more homeless in a pile of wreckage that could take years to rebuild.

Like Pezo, many fishermen along the quake-ravaged coast are determined to keep earning a living from the sea in fishing hamlets like Tubul, where for generations local residents have dived for shellfish and netted sardines.

"We can never leave the sea. We are part of the sea," said Pezo, holding his hammer as he stood on top of a pile of sand where his home used to be. "I'm not afraid of the sea after the tsunami."

The sturdy, bearded fisherman was almost swept away by a wall of water after he tried to recover his wife's diabetes medicine minutes after the quake. He escaped by climbing on top of a two-story house that withstood the battering of the waves.

Nestled at the foot of a hill dotted with pine trees, Tubul was hit by three giant waves that knocked down concrete overpasses and splintered wooden houses like matchsticks.

The quake and the ensuing tsunamis devastated Chile's fishing industry along the stunning south-central coastline, adding to billions of dollars in damage to other key sectors of the economy like fruit farming and pulp production.

The disaster threatens the way of life of small-scale fishermen like Pezo. Many now live in tent camps outside their destroyed seaside villages, surviving on donated food and water.

Carlos Vidal, 46, worries that the tsunami cleared the bay of shellfish, which would force local fishermen to resort to doing road work to survive the approaching winter.

"But not for long. My grandfather and father were fisherman and I will continue to live from the sea," said Vidal as he inspected a stray boat washed up in the backyard of a house.

"This town is the best fishing spot in the region. We will make it."

Burly men dug out buckets of mud from mangled homes while others repaired their severely damaged boats, some of which were marooned in a field of decaying shellfish.

"This is all I know how to do. I have been a fisherman since I was a kid," said Cesar Munoz, 27, glancing at the carcasses of boats on top of houses and strewn along the streets.

The quake hit on Munoz's wedding night, forcing him and his wife, Romina, to run for their lives to higher ground. For days, she had nothing to wear but her wedding dress since their home and personal belongings were washed away by the tsunami.

"My honeymoon will have to wait," Munoz said. "Now it's all about picking up the pieces, starting over from scratch."

(Editing by Fiona Ortiz and Chris Wilson)

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