Earthquake In Chile

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March 5, 2010  
Filed under News

On February 27^th an earthquake hit in the Pacific Ocean just offshore of the Maule Region of the South American country of Chile. The Earthquake was 8.8 on the Mercalli Scale, and it may have shortened the length of the day by 1.26 microseconds and moved the earth’s axis of rotation by 3 inches. Chilean President Michelle Bachelet declared that the country was in a “state of catastrophe” after what she referred to as “one of the worst tragedies in the last 50 years”.

More than 1.5 million people have been displaced by the quake, which destroyed at least 500,000 homes. The earthquake shook major cities all over the area, while Tsunamis caused by the earthquake ravaged coastal towns and cities. So far 723 people have been reported dead, and thousands of others were reported missing. 160 people have been arrested for looting between March 1^st and 2^nd, and 10,000 Chilean troops have been sent into the affected areas. At first the Chilean Government declared that they did not require international aid, but they have now opened up to assistance.

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