Earthquake Strikes Chile

Another earthquake has rocked the earth, this time hitting in Chile. With a second massive earthquake this year, storms ripping through Europe, and tsunamis crashing Hawaii, movies like 2012 seem a little too realistic. This newest earthquake was one of the most powerful on record, but unlike Haiti, Chile was at least a little prepared. The death toll is currently at 700, but rescue efforts are underway to save those still trapped under rubble. 1.5 million homes were damaged, along with bridges and roads. The damage is estimated to be $15 to $30 billion, but the country did not initially ask for aid. However, the president has now said that some aid will be accepted. In the areas of worst devastation, troops have been deployed to prevent looting, and in some areas a curfew has even been set. These procedures are all to help speed up the process of rescue efforts. Despite this severe damage, however, Chile is already beginning to bounce back. The airport in Santiago has reopened, many roads are passable with detours and there are efforts to return electricity to areas that lost power. Though the Chilean earthquake landed much higher than Haiti's on the magnitude scale, it appears that Chile will fair much better than Haiti did.

By Abbey Smith