Chile has begun to count the cost of its deadly 8.8 magnitude earthquake as nations around the Pacific eased their fears of a devastating tsunami.
The quake, on Saturday morning, killed at least 300 people – 90% of them in their homes. It is feared the damage may cost tens of billions of dollars.
One major rescue effort is in the city of Concepcion, where dozens are feared trapped in a collapsed apartment block.
The Pacific-wide alert for a tsunami in the wake of the quake has been lifted.
Chilean President Michelle Bachelet said that two million people had been affected by the earthquake.
The 8.8 quake is one of the biggest ever recorded and the largest to hit Chile in 50 years.
‘Catastrophe’
Many Chileans in affected areas have spent the first night since the earthquake outdoors, afraid to stay inside. In Concepcion, close to the epicentre, mayor Jacqueline van Rysselberghe said dozens of people were trapped in the collapsed apartment block.
“Time is of the essence to save the people inside this building,” she said.
Rescue coordinator Commander Marcelo Plaza said: “We spent the whole night working, smashing through walls to find survivors. The biggest problem is fuel, we need fuel for our machinery and water for our people.”
National television showed pictures of people removing goods from a supermarket in Concepcion, Chile’s second city, despite efforts by police to clear the crowd with tear gas and water cannon.
The situation in the city has been described as critical.
Ms van Rysselberghe said Concepcion had as yet received no food or other aid from Santiago and that it was urgently needed.
Aftershocks have continued to rock Santiago and other areas. On Sunday morning a powerful 6.1 tremor north of the city of Talca added to the terror of survivors – although it caused no major damage, BBC regional correspondent Daniel Schweimler said.
The epicentre of the quake was 115km (70 miles) north-east of Concepcion and 325km south-west of Santiago.
Chilean officials and ministers are still trying to come to terms with the scale of the disaster.
Interior Minister Edmundo Perez Yoma said it was difficult to give precise figures of a “catastrophe of immense proportions”.
One US risk assessor, Eqecat, put the value of the damage at between $15bn and $30bn (£9.8bn-£19.6bn) or 10-20% of gross domestic product.
About 1.5 million homes have been damaged and police patrols have been stepped up to deter looters.
Bet on Sports at Bodog Sportsbook and cash in on your share of huge bonuses!
Popularity: 1% [?]
Related posts:
- ‘Massive’ Earthquake Hits Chile; Tsunami Warnings Up Across Pacific
- Haiti Earthquake Photo Gallery
- After earthquake New Zealand 12 inches closer to Australia
- 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck Taiwan
- SOS Saving OurSelves – Help for Haiti (Photo Gallery)
Browse Timeline
- « Simon Monjack ‘Vindicated’ by Brittany Murphy’s Autopsy Report
- » Check out Megan Fox’s highschool pics
