GCSE Geography Chile Earthquake Case study

BASIC INFORMATION:

~8.8 on the Richter scale

~ 27th February 2010

~ 325km S-W of the capital, Santiago

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

~ happened 8km off the coast

Primary effects (caused by ground shaking)

• Around 500 people killed and 12 000 injured – 800 000 people affected.

• 220 000 homes, 4500 schools,  53 ports, 56 hospitals and other public buildings destroyed. 

• Port of Talcahuanao and Santiago airport badly damaged. 

• Much of Chile lost power, water supplies and communications.

• Cost of the earthquake estimated at US$30 billion

(source: AQA GCSE Geography textbook)

Secondary effects (tsunamis, fires and landslides)

• 1500 km of roads damaged, mainly by landslides – remote communities cut off for many days.

• Several coastal towns devastated by tsunami waves.

• Several Pacific countries struck by tsunami – warnings prevented loss of life.

• A fire at a chemical plant near Santiago – the area had to be evacuated

(source: AQA GCSE Geography textbook)

Chile: immediate responses

◆ Emergency services acted swiftly. International help needed to supply field hospitals, satellite phones and floating bridges.

◆ Temporary repairs made to the important Route 5 north-south highway within 24 hours, enabling aid to be transported from Santiago to affected areas.

◆ Power and water restored to 90% of homes within 10 days.

◆ A national appeal raised US$60 million – enough to build 30 000 small emergency shelters.

Chile: long-term responses

◆ A month after the earthquake Chile’s government launched a housing reconstruction plan to help nearly 200 000 households affected by the earthquake.

◆ Chile’s strong economy, based on copper exports, could be rebuilt without the need for much foreign aid.

◆ The President announced it could take four years for Chile to recover fully from the damage to buildings and ports.