Chile, Haiti both warrant relief efforts

An 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck the coastal area of Chile Saturday, Feb. 27, more than a month after the Haiti earthquake.

Chile has a long history of earthquakes: The U.S. Geological survey indicates 13 quakes of 7.0 or higher have occurred there since 1973. The world’s largest recorded earthquake was in Chile at a 9.5 magnitude in 1960. Because of this, Chile was better prepared for disaster to strike than Haiti.

Chile’s past earthquake experiences “motivated the Chileans to build to a more sophisticated standard in the future, so the housing stock, the building stock, is very, very earthquake-resistant,” said Paul Simmons, U.S. ambassador to Chile, to CBS News.

Buildings in Chile must pass safety regulations for the stability of the structures so they are able to withstand earthquakes, but many buildings crumbled in Chile due to the extreme magnitude of the quake. Roadways were torn in half and telephone lines fell, adding to the destruction in Chile.

The Chilean earthquake, with a 8.8  magnitude, is vastly greater than the 7.0 magnitude Haitian earthquake. Although the number 8.8 is not much larger than 7.0, the magnitude of the Chilean earthquake is about 500 times stronger than the earthquake that devastated Haiti.

Following Chile’s earthquake, tsunami warnings spread across the Pacific. Tsunamis can be created by earthquakes when the colliding plates result in an upward shift, raising sea levels.

The United States anxiously awaited news of the fate of Hawaii, which was warned it would be hit by the tsunami. Hawaiians were evacuated, yet the tsunami reached only 4 feet, while tsunamis can often reach 100 feet. Tsunami waves were smaller than predicted for Japan and Australia as well. The coastal region of Chile saw the most damage by the tsunami.
The effects of the earthquakes in Chile and Haiti are very different. Five days later, more than 700 people were reported dead after the earthquake in Chile; an estimated 220,000 people were reported dead in Haiti in that same time span.

Both earthquakes caused a large number of people to lose their homes. Because of these people’s desperate state, looting for food and money became a problem after each earthquake.

The difference in preparation and wealth of the two countries and the geographical location of the earthquakes is accountable for the difference in the scope of the disasters.

Chile is a more industrialized nation and has the resources to build sturdier structures than Haiti. Haiti had not been hit by an earthquake of this size since 1860, so the country was not as familiar with massive earthquakes.

The January earthquake hit 10 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, and was about eight miles underground. That earthquake occurred close to a concentrated area of people, whereas the Chilean earthquake hit a less populated area. The Chilean earthquake’s epicenter was deeper in the ground — approximately 13 miles deeper — and was about 200 miles from the nation’s largest city and capital, Santiago.

President Barack Obama offered assistance to Chile on the day of the disaster, but Chile announced it would not need any outside help. After the reality of the devastation became clearer, Chile’s government issued a new statement Monday, March 1, requesting assistance in the form of generators, water filtration equipment, field hospitals and experts to assess the damage.

Chile needs help to rebuild their collapsed cities and to assist people affected by the earthquake. Although the earthquake in Chile was larger, the devastation is less significant than in Haiti.

Haiti must not be forgotten now there is another country in need of disaster relief; rather the efforts should be organized alongside one another.

Stephanie Kitchens is a second-year journalism student.