Chile Rattled and Damaged by Powerful Earthquake: A Firsthand Impression

Maureen Valentine
3 March 2010

At 3:30 in the morning on Saturday, 27 February, I was sitting at my dining room table in my home in central Santiago, Chile, with friends having some drinks… when something peculiar started to happen. My house started to shake. There was a split second when I thought “Am I crazy or is the table moving?” and then I locked eyes with one of my friends with a mutual communication of “GET OUT!”

Houses all over Santiago suffered damage after the earthquake. Now residents are starting to pick up the pieces and try to put their homes and lives back together.

Everyone jumped up and started running toward the door, screaming as the walls continued to move for an excruciating 90 seconds. The entire neighbourhood flooded into the street for fear of their houses collapsing.

Throughout the early morning of the 27th and the rest of the day, we continued to feel aftershocks. There were so much that sometimes we couldn’t tell if it was our imagination or the ground was actually moving. Nevertheless, by midday, our electricity and internet access had been restored, which gave me the opportunity to find out exactly what had happened and if it was something my family back in North Carolina would see in the international news. I quickly discovered that the earthquake had measured 8.8 on the Richter scale and a top news story worldwide.

Chilean State of Emergency

Chile is no stranger to quakes, since it sits on one of several active fault lines that make up the Pacific Ring of Fire. But this earthquake is said to be the fifth strongest one in 100 years. While the epicentre was out in the ocean, 325km southwest of Santiago and 115km northeast of Concepción, an estimated 2 million people have been affected or displaced and 1.5 million homes have been damaged. At present, the death toll lingers above 700, although once we discover the whereabouts of the missing, it is expected to rise.

The Church of the Divine Providence in Avenue Providencia of Santiago, Chile, suffered structural damage from the tremors. This photo was taken a few hours after the earthquake. (Photo by Santiago Vanegas)

The worst damage was done in the Chilean region of Bio Bio in the middle of Chile. Now, with the dust settling, residents are trying to piece their lives back together. Where the quake hit the hardest is now a near wasteland and major roads, bridges and countless buildings are in ruin. The search for survivors is still in full force, as the rubble of apartment high-rises and other destroyed buildings is being cleared. One 15-story building in Concepción was demolished and several areas of the main road, Ruta 5, were lifted.

Closest to the centre of the quake, many people remain without electricity or potable water. Rampant looting has broken out in the more affected areas, such as Concepción; as some people may be desperate for basic supplies, others are taking advantage of the lack of security. President Bachalet has called in the army to police problem areas and help with control issues. They have had to resort to tear gas at times to keep the chaos at bay.

On the positive side, Santiago’s Arturo Merino Benitez Airport is expected to begin receiving some international incoming flights on Sunday after it was closed due to runway damage. Some parts of the capital’s metro system were also reopened Monday, while others are being inspected for possible repairs to the tracks. At present, many of city’s traffic lights are still not functioning.

How You Can Help

I was very lucky to make it through such a strong earthquake with only a broken mirror and a crack through my bedroom ceiling. Others in the country were not so fortunate and now lack the basic necessities. In general, Chile has serious problems.

If you would like to offer some aid to those in need, several non-profits have come forward to organise aid efforts. Take a look at these links to find out more: