Chile earthquake 8.8 on ritcher

[Colonel_Ryan]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8540289.stm
:blink:

A massive earthquake has hit central Chile and killed at least 147 people, though the toll is expected to rise.

The 8.8 quake caused widespread damage, destroying buildings, bridges and roads in many areas, including the capital where a chemical plant caught fire.

President Michelle Bachelet declared a "state of catastrophe" in affected areas and appealed for calm.

A tsumami set off by the quake has triggered warnings in Pacific countries from Japan to New Zealand.

Sirens warned people to move to higher ground in French Polynesia and Hawaii.

The earthquake struck at 0634 GMT, 115km (70 miles) north-east of the city of Concepcion and 325km south-west of the capital Santiago. It is the biggest to hit Chile in 50 years.

Local journalists in the region of Maule said 85 had died there.

Deaths were also in reported in the regions of Santiago, O'Higgins, Biobio, Araucania and Valparaiso.

National television said it estimated that at least 150 people had been killed.

Television pictures showed a major bridge at Concepcion had collapsed into the Biobio river.

Rescue teams are finding it difficult to reach Concepcion because of damage to infrastructure, national television reported.

Aftershocks

In Santiago, where at least 13 people were killed, several buildings collapsed - including a car park where dozens of cars were smashed.

A fire at a chemical plant in the outskirts of the capital forced the evacuation of the neighbourhood.


Damage to Santiago international airport's terminal will keep it closed for at least 72 hours, officials said. Flights are being diverted to Mendoza in Argentina.

President Bachelet said: "People should remain calm. We're doing everything we can with all the forces we have."

Ms Bachelet said a "wave of large proportion" had affected the Juan Fernandez island group, reaching halfway into one inhabited area. Three people there are missing, local media say. Two aid ships are reported to be on their way.

One resident of Chillan, 100km from the epicentre, told Chilean television the shaking there lasted about two minutes.

Other residents of Chillan and Curico said communications were down but running water was still available.

Many of Chile's news websites and radio stations are still not accessible.

In Washington, President Barack Obama said the US had aid resources in position to deploy should the Chilean government ask for help.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the earthquake struck at a depth of about 35km.

It also recorded at least eight aftershocks, the largest of 6.9 magnitude at 0801 GMT.

The USGS said tsunami effects had been observed at Valparaiso, west of Santiago, with a wave height of 1.69m above normal sea level.

One journalist speaking to Chilean national television from the city of Temuco, 600km south of Santiago, said many people there had left their homes, determined to spend the rest of the night outside. Some people on the streets were in tears.

Chile is highly vulnerable to earthquakes as it is situated on the Pacific "Rim of Fire", on the edge of the Pacific and South American plates.

Chile suffered the biggest earthquake of the 20th century when a 9.5 magnitude quake struck the city of Valdivia in 1960, killing 1,655 people.

Poor people :-/

POWERFUL EARTHQUAKES
Haiti, 12 Jan 2010: About 230,000 people die after shallow 7.0 magnitude quake
Sumatra, Indonesia, 26 Dec 2004: 9.2 magnitude. Triggers Asian tsunami that kills nearly 250,000 people
Alaska, US, 28 March 1964: 9.2 magnitude; 128 people killed. Anchorage badly damaged
Chile, south of Concepcion, 22 May 1960: 9.5 magnitude. About 1,655 deaths. Tsunami hits Hawaii and Japan
Kamchatka, NE Russia, 4 Nov 1952: 9.0 magnitude

[Jubal]

I know... it's awful. The trouble is, while there are countries like that without the infrastructure to deal with 'quakes that sit on earthquake zones, these things will happen.

Scientists predict that there will be a very large earthquake hitting Istanbul in the next few years ("anytime now" is the prediction). It could easily flatten a quarter of the city, but Turkey doesn't have the money to quake-proof everyone's houses.

[Colonel_Ryan]

armadilloTY HELL!
Need to tell that to Emre, Dread and Umut and Ismail and HoLy and every turkish friends!!

Im half turk!!

[Jubal]

Yea... the fault between the tectonic plates goes right up next to the Bosporus.

Istanbul's had earthquakes before, mind; the Hagia Sophia must've suffered at least ten and is still standing (Early Byzantine architects were AMAZING, that city's walls weren't breached from 500ish to 1453). This one's overdue, though, and so could be vaaaairy nasty.

I really want to go to Istanbul sometime...

[Colonel_Ryan]

My mom is from Istanbul :-/
:unsure: Poor guys
80% of my C:MW teamates are Turks

[comrade_general]

Chile earthquake may have shortened days

[Marcus]

Interesting article, not that I notice the difference much.

[Colonel_Ryan]

Wow.
Tsunami on 8 metres are predicted :blink:

[Jubal]

I think I'll shift this to discussion and debate, where it really belongs.