Powerful Quake Shakes Up Chile
Powerful Quake Shakes Up Chile
Northern Chile has been hit by a powerful earthquake followed by a tsunami on April 1st. The quake had an 8.2 magnitude, causing a total of six people to lose their lives and close to 900,000 other people being evacuated from the area, as reported by several news agencies. A number of small aftershocks engulfed the Northern coats for the following days, prompting residents to fear for their lives and flee to safer surroundings.
Residents reacted promptly to news of the disaster, with fishermen trying to salvage remains of the affected properties. The tsunami waves which followed the strong quake reached as far as Indonesia. Numerous people who lost their homes took shelter in Alto Hospicio, their number at the moment reaching almost 400.
Although earthquakes and natural calamities are no stranger for Chileans, the most recent disaster shook up an already unstable foundation. Several fire stations in La Tirana and its proximity were destroyed by the calamity, along with many other homes.
Malls and other important shopping centers have also been affected, several of them having their walls collapsing right under people’s eyes. School and classes are suspended for the moment in the entire Tarapaca region, while residents are trying to pick up the pieces of what they once called home. Authorities advised everyone living in the region to move out for a period of time, until the situation settles.
The quake hit Chile at around 8:46 PM, when most of the people were on their way home from work or watching TV within the comfort of their homes. The timing couldn’t have been worse, causing more people to sustain injuries than otherwise.
A number of other countries have also been issued a warning in expectation of tsunami waves: Colombia, Costa Rica and Panama.
Chile is known for being prone to earthquakes, and quite powerful ones took place in the past. The country’s vulnerable location has everything to do with the natural disasters occurring. Chile is placed on several volcanoes which randomly erupt with no prior warning, and thus making the area one of the most dangerous one in the world when it comes to disasters. More than 10 powerful earthquakes occurred in Chile over the past 40 years, with most of them reaching higher than a 7.0 magnitude. The strongest previous quake took place in 2010 and reached a 8.8 magnitude.
Even though the tsunami following the quake has not done any significant damage, residents reported some main streets have been flooded, causing people to fear damage being done to their vehicles. Scientists say this is only one of the earthquakes that await to occur, so the country and its population should always keep prepared for the worst. Donations have been opened for those who want to help Chileans regain some of their lost assets and properties.
