[avaiguite]

Hopefully this doesn't wreck their economy. Chile has one of the most modern and strong economies in Latin America...

It's not going to wreck their economy. The Kobe quake didn't wreck Japan's economy, did it? Did the Anchorage quake wreck Alaska's? The 1906 or 1989 San Francisco ones California's?

We're not talking about a Third World country here; we're talking about a well-developed Second World one. There's only one thing that could wreck Chile's economy, but it's not going to happen for a whiles yet.

[KacypeJeope]

It's not going to wreck their economy. The Kobe quake didn't wreck Japan's economy, did it? Did the Anchorage quake wreck Alaska's? The 1906 or 1989 San Francisco ones California's?

We're not talking about a Third World country here; we're talking about a well-developed Second World one. There's only one thing that could wreck Chile's economy, but it's not going to happen for a whiles yet.

war?

Interestingly, much fo the devastation of the 1906 quake was caused by the incompetence and corruption of the SF municipal government.
If it bleeds it leads. As far as I can tell, CNN was running non-stop coverage and showing the worst (concepcion and the areas hit by the ensuing tsunami). Chile ahs not asked for international help AFAIK. IT certainly is going to hurt their economy but wreck is probably too strong a word. However, if you want to help, you can buy chilean produce and wines. as for haiti, had one of their dictators hired competent economic ministers they'd be a lot better off. chile benefits from luck (dictator adopted a relatively decent economic system), stability (since then it's been a largely peaceful nation), and long term trends (commodities). nonetheless, it would be wrong to imply that no one is suffering. this was one of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded and even one of the aftershocks was more powerful than the haiti quakes.

[carline]

Farrakhan speaks to faithful, warns America - Chicago Breaking News


Farrakhan says the Chilean earthquake was a warning to America.

[Zarekylin75]

Farrakhan speaks to faithful, warns America - Chicago Breaking News


Farrakhan says the Chilean earthquake was a warning to America.

And Farrakhan is a well-known lunatic. What does that tell you?

[derisgun]

Farrakhan speaks to faithful, warns America - Chicago Breaking News


Farrakhan says the Chilean earthquake was a warning to America.

In the same speech, he also claimed that the was in a flying saucer talking to Elijah Mohammed, and quoted from L. Ron Hubbard. And he thinks it is "the reach of the Zionists" that makes everyone think he is nuts.

[Lorionasodi]

Chile aid call as survivors found trapped.

"Chile called for international aid on Monday as rescuers located earthquake survivors crying out desperately through the rubble and troops arrested dozens in a bid to contain looting.

The toll from Saturday's 8.8-magnitude quake and a resulting tsunami that swept coastal towns rose to 723 while security fears deepened in the South American nation's second city of Concepcion, the worst-hit urban area.

Troops deployed alongside police and deputy interior minister Patricio Rosende said one person was shot and killed as they clamped down on rampant looting overnight, making 160 arrests."
The Raw Story | Chile aid call as survivors found trapped

[KacypeJeope]

The scale of the devastation was still being uncovered, especially in the seaside towns and villages engulfed by massive waves minutes after the gigantic quake struck at 3:34 am (0634 GMT).

Chile quake far bigger but less deadly than Haiti yeah, one of the aftershocks was bigger than the quake in haiti. the waves look to have been very damaging. the quake in santiago was ~7.0 so it would seem engineeringly only goes so far (~7.0) supposedly the damage in santiago is mainly transportation related but in the south it's much wore. I'd imagine it will take years to rebuild, if ever (who knows how many people will move north, wasn't there an even bigger quake in this area before?)

edited to add:
Earthquake experts said the death toll so far appears low considering to the enormous power of the magnitude-8.8 quake, in part because many buildings were engineered to withstand such an event. The northern capital of Santiago was slowly returning to business as usual Monday. Subway lines were running again and many shops and offices were open for business, though residents were rattled by aftershocks and scattered cases of gangs attempting to rob markets that been damaged in the quakelooting by gangs.

The worst devastation may by in Chile's small coastal towns, which received a double blow from the earthquake and the tsunami waves that followed it....Mr. Holzmann said that even though Ms. Bachelet visited the affected areas in a helicopter hours after the quake, she didn't appear to get good information about the devastation, exposing deficiencies in Chile's civil defense services..."I think the government is actually doing good job of coordinating all the offers of international assistance and mobilizing their resources," said Tracy Reines, who directs international emergency response for the American Red Cross. "I don't think anyone is underestimating anything." http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...014328896.html
SANTIAGO, Chile—Chile's stringent, well-enforced building codes saved most modern buildings and countless lives. Still, extensive use of adobe in older structures meant that many of those buildings fell in the hardest-hit regions of the country.
...

More than 720 people were killed in Saturday's earthquake, an 8.8 magnitude temblor that ranks as the world's fifth-largest on record. Chile has endured many earthquakes—including the most powerful ever recorded, a 9.5 behemoth that hit the country in 1960—and Saturday's was the worst in 50 years. Chileans have applied the hard lessons learned from those earthquakes in adopting building codes for new structures.

A major reason the Jan. 12 Haiti quake claimed more than 220,000 victims is because buildings in the Caribbean country weren't built with the sturdy practices Chile requires.

In the country's capital, the oldest districts that suffered the greatest damage, because many houses are constructed of adobe, a mixture of mud and straw that can support large amounts of weight, but can't withstand the violent undulations caused by earthquakes.

By contrast, the country's modern high-rises withstood the tremendous shaking because of standards adopted in 1996, said Christian Seal, professor of civil engineering at the University of Santiago de Chile. New buildings in Chile must be inspected by third parties for design and construction. They must also be approved by local authorities.

"The buildings that fell down were old adobe buildings," said Seal. "Only in exceptional cases did new buildings collapse."

Chile's building code is similar to that used in the U.S., said Bill Holmes, a member of the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute, based in Oakland, Calif. Standards for concrete, he said, are almost identical. Many of the skyscrapers that pierce Santiago's skyline are built around frame-construction designs that use reinforced concrete—concrete with iron or steel mesh embedded in it.

As scientists have learned more about earthquakes, they have developed new ways to keep buildings from falling down. So-called moment-resisting frames join columns and beams in a way that absorbs the energy of a temblor, whereas steel-frame bracing, such as the X-shaped grid on the exterior of Chicago's John Hancock building, also absorb lateral forces. One of the newest techniques, base isolation, places bearings between a building and its foundation. That way, the foundation—not the rest of the building—absorbs most of the shaking, said Bill Baker, a partner at Skidmore Owings & Merrill LLP, an engineering firm based in Chicago. Base isolation was used in the international terminal at San Francisco International Airport, which opened in 2000.

Chile has historically relied on an older—but tried and true—technology: reinforced concrete shear walls. Those walls, which are typically anchored to the foundation and designed to withstand lateral forces, "put more earthquake resistance into the system," said Daniel Abrams, Willet Professor of Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

"Chilean construction practices have had more of that than other countries," he said. A 1987 report to the National Science Foundation reported that wall density—the ratio of wall area to floor area—is "typically much higher in Chilean construction than in construction in seismic zones in the United States."
... http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...rld_MIDDLENews

UPDATE 2: CONCEPCION, Chile — Frightened residents of Chile’s second-largest city, hit hard by Saturday’s huge earthquake, banded together Monday to protect what’s left of their shattered neighborhoods, trying to ward off roving packs of looters.

Associated Press
People wait to catch goods thrown from a supermarket window during sporadic looting in Concepcion.

Men, women, teenagers — even the elderly — joined in an effort to stop gangs from invading their neighborhoods. They wore armbands to identify themselves as watch groups, and were armed with axes, sticks, stones, wooden bedposts – and sometimes guns.

Andres Coronado joined with his neighbors in the Pedro de Valdivia Bajo neighborhood of Concepcion after they saw the situation spiraling out of control. They milled around a street covered in bricks and stone–the debris of somebody’s home—and made use of a small fire to keep warm

“There aren’t enough of them,” Coronado said of the police and soldiers in Concepcion. “The situation is out of their hands right now, so we organized at midday.” good to own a gun

[Zavdpacq]

And why do you think that is so? I'm just curious as to what your thought is on that.

I think you're more concerned with helping Chile than Haiti because Haitians are black.

[KacypeJeope]

SANTIAGO, Chile--A massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck the coast of Chile early Saturday, killing at least 214 people, rattling the southern half of the country for more than a minute, and triggering a tsunami that raced across the Pacific ocean.

The quake, one of the biggest ever measured, struck just after 3:30 a.m. local time, toppling buildings, collapsing roads, and cutting off power and telecommunications services throughout much of the southern half of Chile.

In the hours after the initial quake, felt nearly 2,000 miles away in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the region shook from at least 10 additional aftershocks, and the country's coastline was hammered by waves that swelled more than six feet above their normal height, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Eyewitnesses in the coastal region of Maule, near the quake's epicenter and where most of the early casualties were reported, said houses "simply disappeared." Government officials said that up to 80% of some towns in the region were destroyed by the shock and consequent waves. A woman at a shelter in Iloca Maule said: "When the waves came, we ran for the hills."

Chile, a long mountainous country nestled between the towering Andes and the Pacific Ocean, is accustomed to seismic activity and has suffered some of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded. It will be days, though, before the full impact can be determined of the latest shock, the country's worst in 50 years.

In addition to mounting casualties, authorities will assess significant damage to roadways, ports, and other major infrastructure essential to a country that ranks as the world's biggest exporter of copper, a major producer of other metals and minerals, and one of the most stable economies in Latin America.

The epicenter was pinpointed offshore, 70 miles northeast of Concepción, Chile's second-biggest city. As aftershocks rocked southern Chile hours after the first quake, authorities rushed to assess casualties and damages to roads, power and phone grids. Relief organizations, including the Chilean Red Cross and World Vision, were also preparing to mobilize.
Multimedia

View Slideshow
[SB10001424052748704231304575091343426141892]
Reuters

People observed a highway destroyed in an earthquake in Santiago, Chile, on Saturday.
video
8.8-Magnitute Earthquake Hits Chile
1:36

A fatal magnitude 8.8 earthquake strikes south-central Chile, toppling buildings and triggering a tsunami. Video courtesy of Reuters.

View Interactive

Speaking on local television, President Michelle Bachelet said authorities had re-established contact with all areas affected by the quake, the country's worst in 50 years. She said authorities, well-practiced in disaster recovery, had adequate resources to manage the initial response. Chile's military, with capable engineers versed in emergency bridge-building and other disaster repairs, was mobilized quickly.

"The system is functioning," said the president. "People should remain calm. We're doing everything we can with all the forces we have."

While Chile's geology makes it prone to earthquakes, its healthy economy and strong government institutions give it some advantages in responding to them, said Patricio Navia, a Chilean political scientist at New York University. In terms of civil defense response to quakes, "Chile would be more comparable to Japan or California than Haiti," Navia said.

Still, government officials were surprised at the enormity of the quake. "Road damage was worse than what I expected," said Sergio Bitar, Chile's public works minister, at a press conference.

The minister inspected the roads south of Santiago, with the worst damage at an interchange about 50 kilometers south of the capital. The government asked residents and tourists not to travel, even from quake-stricken regions, because people attempting to return to Santiago were causing massive traffic jams.

Bachelet, who is in her final weeks in office, has proven herself to be at her best when the going gets tough, having orchestrated a strong response by Chile to the global economic crisis that erupted in 2008.

"She's really in charge and her cabinet is very good at responding to crises," said Navia, noting the president's presence at the National Disaster Center within a couple hours of the quake. Bachelet's successor, Sebastián Piñera, scheduled to take office March 11, said the quake had dealt "a hard blow to Chilean society."

In Santiago, the capital city, 200 miles northeast of the epicenter, a car dangled from a collapsed overpass, the national Fine Arts Museum was damaged, and the parking lot of a two-story apartment building collapsed, smashing about 50 cars whose alarms rang through the rubble.

At the Four Points hotel in the city's Providencia neighborhood, the quake began with a small vibration that quickly surged into a violent shake, knocking lamps off tables and artwork off the walls. Tourists fled the hotel via a stairwell as water cascaded into the building through cracks in a shattered rooftop. Outside, tourists gathered in the dark while revelers poured out of nightclubs.

Beyond the city, on the verge of tears, Rafael Galleguillos said he had no idea how he survived a plunge off the side of an overpass that had collapsed on a highway operated by Vespuccio Norte Express, linking the country's international airport with the capital. A total of seven cars fell off the edge of the overpass, Galleguillos said.

After the drivers helped one another escape from the wreckage, Galleguillos complained that the overpass hadn't weathered the quake. "You pay tolls and taxes and you expect safety," he said. Vespuccio Norte Express couldn't be reached for comment Saturday.

After the quake, the U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a "widespread" tsunami warning for all Pacific nations, saying that "sea level readings indicate a tsunami was generated" that "could have been destructive along coasts near the earthquake epicenter and could also be a threat to more distant coasts."

As the surge from the quake rolled across the ocean, residents of coastlines where it could hit were preparing for the swell. In Hawaii, where the first waves were expected before mid-day local time, lines formed at supermarkets, as people stocked up on water, food, and batteries. 8.8-Magnitude Quake Hits Chile - WSJ.com
Having suffered so much since the Jan. 12 quake, many grieving Haitians expressed their heartfelt condolences. President Rene Preval went to the Chilean embassy in Port-au-Prince to give his personal message of sympathy. Chilean President Michelle Bachelet was just in Haiti earlier this month to get a first hand look at the damage.

Haitians also marveled at the much lower death toll in Chile and said it was evidence that Haiti needed to enact much stricter building codes.

"There are very good structures in Chile, built correctly. That's why not more people died," said Moise Philogene, a 40-year-old unemployed lawyer. Mr.Philogene said he didn't know much about science, but supposed there was a connection between the two quakes. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...332354656.html

[carline]

Hopefully, they will be setting up relief efforts to help the Chileans who have been harmed by this.

[kasandrasikl]

So do you think it was Satan who did this one or just the tectonic plates?

I'm betting on Satan MOVING the tectonic plates to shift the blame.

[carline]

So do you think it was Satan who did this one or just the tectonic plates?

I'm betting on Satan MOVING the tectonic plates to shift the blame.

Very few people died or were injured, even though news reports say the Chilean quake was 501 more powerful than the one in Hayti.

Somebody is looking out for those Chileans! (either that or they're just smarter at how they design their buildings to withstand natural disasters.)

[Zarekylin75]

Very few people died or were injured, even though news reports say the Chilean quake was 501 more powerful than the one in Hayti.

Somebody is looking out for those Chileans! (either that or they're just smarter at how they design their buildings to withstand natural disasters.)

YouTube - misterdeity's Channel

[Lorionasodi]

The death toll is expected to rise and judging from these pictures the buildings took a beating. If that's looking out then no thanks.
Earthquake in Chile - The New York Times > World > Slide Show > Slide 1 of 18

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/201...PIX_index.html

Where will the next one be???? and will Pat Robertson comment?
http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-a...ry=1380;page=1

[Lypepuddyu]

Chilay is reaping the sins of the past when on Sept 11 1973 the democratically elected president Salvador Allende was overthrown by dictator Augusto Pinochet.....

I'm not aware if any Chilayan heads were placed on pikes however....


BBC ON THIS DAY | 11 | 1973: President overthrown in Chile coup

[KacypeJeope]

Very few people died or were injured, even though news reports say the Chilean quake was 501 more powerful than the one in Hayti.

Somebody is looking out for those Chileans! (either that or they're just smarter at how they design their buildings to withstand natural disasters.)

as the haitian in the quoted article noted, construction standards are very important. Of course, the prosperity that has allowed them to build so much to these standards is also important. Chile recently elected to switch parties for the first time in their modern democratic history (post-Pinochet). The idea that this is somehow penance for the Allende debacle (as muddled as it was) is preposterous but I take it doom was tongue in cheek. For those who don't know, my parents are living in santiago. I spoke with two of their neighbors today and they seemed somewhat indignant that CNN kept showing the worst scenes over and over. they insisted that Santiago has not collapsed and indeed my parents had gone out to dinner. All bets were off for concepcion much closer to the quake. one can only hope the next CA quake will be sustained as well, 8.8 ain't no joke

[amehoubFomo]

Hopefully this doesn't wreck their economy. Chile has one of the most modern and strong economies in Latin America...

[economex]

Chile appeals for aid as quake toll surpasses 700 | AP | 02/28/2010

Deaths are up sharply and now they're asking for aid. I certainly hope they get it. Where are the capabilities to text aid to Chile?

President Michelle Bachelet announced the sharply higher new death toll after a six-hour meeting with aides and emergency officials struggling to cope with one of the most powerful earthquakes in centuries.

"We face a catastrophe of such unthinkable magnitude that it will require a giant effort" for Chile to recover, Bachelet told a news conference at the presidential palace, which itself suffered minor cracks in Saturday's magnitude-8.8 quake.

She said that a growing number of people were listed as missing and she signed a decree giving the military over security in the province of Concepcion, where looters have pillaged supermarkets, gas stations, pharmacies and banks.

The president, who leaves office on March 11, also said the country would accept some of the offers of aid that have poured in from around the world.

She said the country needs field hospitals and temporary bridges, water purification plants and damage assessment experts , as well as rescuers to help relieve workers who have been laboring frantically for more than a day.

Officials earlier had said about 300 were known dead, with 500,000 homes severely damaged.

A tsunami caused by the quake that swept across the Pacific killed several people on a Chilean island and devastated over coastal communities near the epicenter, but caused little damage in other countries, after precautionary evacuations of hundreds of thousands of people. The tsunami warning was lifted a day after the earthquake.

Police said more than 100 people died in Concepcion, the largest city near the epicenter with more than 200,000 people. The university was among the buildings that caught fire around the city as gas and power lines snapped. Many streets were littered with rubble from edifices and inmates escaped from a nearby prison.

[amehoubFomo]

Chile appeals for aid as quake toll surpasses 700 | AP | 02/28/2010

Deaths are up sharply and now they're asking for aid. I certainly hope they get it. Where are the capabilities to text aid to Chile?

Texting information is at the following link:
Impact Your World - Special Reports from CNN.com

[economex]

Texting information is at the following link:
Impact Your World - Special Reports from CNN.com

Thank you, but you must admit the situation in Chile isn't getting nearly the press that Haiti did.