On April 1st, 2014, a massive 8.2-earthquake smashed the coast of northern Chile. The tremors generated a tsunami and set off multiple landslides, removing power from the area impacted by the quake. There have been a total of five fatalities so far, with three crushed by falling debris and two suffering lethal heart attacks. During the hours following the impact of the earthquake, some 300 prisoners were able to escape from the city of Iquique after its prison was compromised by the disaster.
Despite the tragedy of the losses, it’s quite possible that Chile avoided what could have been a much greater calamity. Chile was hit by a similar disaster in February 2010 in the form of an 8.8 magnitude earthquake that killed about 500 and affected approximately two million. A 15-story skyscraper as well as the major north-south highway fell victim to the quake, and the local airport momentarily shut down after its terminal was severely damaged. The major earthquake was followed by 76 aftershocks in total, claiming two more lives and resulting in the evacuation of some buildings in Argentina; a city 690 miles away from the epicenter of the quake. The 2010 quake was so intense that it managed to move the entire Chilean city of Concepcion 10 feet to the west.
Chile’s President Michelle Bachelet remains optimistic about the response to the disaster, noting that “the country has faced these first emergency hours very well.” Chile has a long history of catastrophe, especially since they are located on the “Ring of Fire,” which is a circle of volcanoes and fault lines that cause the surrounding area to be incredibly susceptible to frequent earthquakes. This unfortunate placement has caused Chile to experience 13 quakes since 1973. As a result, they have spent time readying themselves for further disasters in the future, constructing buildings that are better equipped to withstand the shocks. Despite the preparations, each earthquake still has a severe impact on the country, and all that can be done now is to hope that things return to normal as soon as possible.
Sources:
http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/01/world/americas/chile-earthquake/