Chile Earthquake

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Background details

  • 27th Febuary 2010, 8.8 on Richter scale.
  • Destructive Subduction plate margin - Nazca collided and subducted beneath South American plate.
  • 3 minutes of ground shaking followed by smaller aftershocks.
  • Tsunami waves at 800km in the Pacific Ocean.
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Primary Effects

  • 500 dead, 12000 injured and 800000 affected.
  • 220000 homes, 4500 schools, 53 ports and 56 hospitals destroyed.
  • Talcahunanao port and Santiago airport damaged.
  • Loss of power, water and communication.
  • Estimated cost US$30billion.
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Secondary Effects

  • 1500km roads damaged by landslides, cutting communication.
  • Tsunami waves damaged costal towns - warnings prevented any death.
  • Chemical plant fire and evacuation.
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Immediate Responses

  • Emergancy sevices acted swiftly, International help was needed to supply field hospitals, satillite phones and floating bridges.
  • Power and water restored to 10% of homes within 10 days.
  • A national appeal raised US$10million - enough to build 30000 small emergency shelters.
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Long term responses

  • A month after goverment launched a housing reconsturction plan.
  • Strong economy could be rebuilt without the need for much foreign aid.
  • It could take up to four years to recover fully from the damage.
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