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The destruction left by the 8.8 magnitude earthquake is just a reminder of how destructive nature can be.
John Reifenberg
March 12, 2010
Filed under News & Features
On Saturday February 27th, 2010, an 8.8 magnitude earthquake rocked Chile leaving a death toll of 800 and rising. The earthquake was the highest ever recorded quake since the invention of the Richter scale. Following the original quake, there have been numerous aftershocks reaching up to 5.0 or greater. As of March 4, 2010, Chile has not asked for aid from other countries despite an estimated loss of 1.5 million homes and a death toll that continues to rise.
The earthquake was so large that scientists believe Earth’s axis shifted approximately three inches causing our day to be 1.26 microseconds shorter. Also, the quake caused a massive tsunami that crashed 6,700 miles away in Hawaii. By some experts’ estimates, the cost to repair the damage in Chile is around eight billion dollars. Despite the magnitude of this earthquake, Chile was actually less affected than Haiti due to the frequency of earthquakes and their architectural knowledge on how to keep buildings from collapsing.
Among the issues of rebuilding are the problems of rampant looters. Although some measures in security have been taken, those without the necessities of food and water have resorted to looting to get their much needed supplies. As the long process of rebuilding begins, the eyes of the world are upon Chile to ensure they get the necessary equipment needed to repair the damage.
For more information, check out these websites:
1) http://www.sltrib.com/ci_14488034?source=most_viewed
3) http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSNLDE61Q02O20100227
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