Standing Strong in Chile

SANTIAGO,Chile

28 April 2010

A powerful earthquake struck Chile on February 27, 2010. The disaster—which claimed more than 700 lives and left many more without power, water, food, and shelter—was a great blow to the country.

The epicenter of the magnitude-8.8 earthquake was located off the central coast of Chile, causing significant damage in the nearby cities of Santiago and Concepcion. The shaking lasted about three minutes, buckling highways and snapping utility lines. Thirty minutes passed between the quake and a wave that inundated coastal towns, leaving behind sticks, scraps of metal, and masonry houses ripped in two. A beachside carnival in the village of Lloca was swamped in the tsunami. A carousel was twisted on its side and a Ferris wheel rose above the muddy wreckage.

An estimated 2 million Chileans have been affected by the earthquake, with at least 500,000 homes sustaining considerable damage. But not just those whose homes were destroyed have been affected. Many more thousands of homes have been flooded or otherwise substantially damaged. The death toll has been relatively low, but other statistics are sobering. Hundreds of people have lost their jobs, and unknown hundreds of businesses have been destroyed, vandalized, or lost revenue because of the direct and indirect effects of the disaster. The recovery here has just begun. But with the help of LDS Charities and massive volunteer efforts, Chileans are beginning to get back on their feet.