Why does this town require residents to have their appendix removed to live here?

People can live with the appendix for life unless it becomes inflamed. However, one town in Antarctica has required prospective residents to have their appendix removed before settling here, according to the NY Post.

Villas Las Estrellas, one of two civilian settlements in the Chilean Antarctic.

Accordingly, appendectomy is one of the prerequisites for everyone - including children - to live in Villas Las Estrellas, one of two civilian settlements in Chile's Antarctic.

Located in Chile's Frei base on King George Island, Villas Las Estrellas has a maximum of 100 residents, mostly researchers and military personnel. However, those with long-term contracts often took their entire families to the nearby Spartan settlement, where there was a post office, a small school, a bank, and other essential facilities for living.

The request to remove the appendix before settling down comes from a good reason, according to Mirror. The reason is that the nearest hospital is 1,005 kilometers from the north pole of the island so it may not be possible in time for anyone with appendicitis - a condition that requires immediate surgery to reach the hospital. In other words, it will be difficult for them to get surgery in time to avoid endangering their lives. The limited healthcare options here are also why people discourage getting pregnant during their stay.

And these aren't the only precautions people take while living in Villas Las Estrellas. As temperatures can plummet below -100 degrees Fahrenheit (-73 degrees Celsius), citizens are asked to stay indoors or risk freezing to death.

Sergio Cubillos, commander of the local airbase, said: 'This winter, we couldn't leave the house for weeks. This is why most people only reside in the area during the summer when temperatures hit 36 ​​degrees Fahrenheit (2 degrees Celsius).

Mr. Cubillos also said that people will also not be able to bring pets to the island to prevent them from spreading diseases to native wildlife.

Despite its harsh environment, Villas Las Estrellas boasts many tourist-friendly attractions, most notably the famous penguins that get along here.

Tourists also get to go on ski and snowmobile expeditions, as well as head to nearby Bellingshausen to learn about the aurora borealis and polar glaciation. The base can even access the Internet, although this is reserved for the three school computers.