8.8 earthquake in Chile

[Hector]

Mathematically...it was 800 times more powerful than the 7.0 that struck Haiti.

However...the death toll is only 214 so far...that's due to Chile's much better and modern infrastructure...most buildings shook it off pretty well...but there's still a lot of destruction:

Massive earthquake hits Chile, 214 dead - Yahoo! News

BTW, Chile has the biggest earthquake in recorded history...9.5 magnitude in 1960.

There's also a tsunami warning for Hawaii, New Zealand, Australia, etc...

Had a 8.5 hit Haiti...perhaps a million people would've died.

I live in the San Francisco Bay Area...I've been through many earthquakes (including in Mexico)...have not gotten used to them...they are always uncomfortable to me.

[wayne foundation 07]

I just read about that,they said Hawaii and the Pacific coast will feel the wave effect from it,stuffs going wild in nature right now.

[Hector]

BTW, the Chilean government is appreciative of countries like the USA trying to lend a hand...but so far...they have not requested any help...as Chile has pretty good earthquake rescue operations...as evident by their help in Haiti.

[SlipperyLilSuckers]

Yeah I heard it was the fifth largest on record. May those poor folks rest in peace.

I felt a lot of earthquakes when I lived in Japan...never got used to the feeling, like you Hector.

[Hector]

Chile...pretty progressive...starting with their female president (just like Argentina).

[toys2cool]

dam that's crazy

[Hulk]

Comparing the two earthquakes is somewhat misleading, although obviously Chile has much better preparedness and experience being in an active earthquake region. Haiti's 7.0 hit 8 miles deep and 15 miles from port Au Prince, Chile's hit 22 miles deep and 200 miles from Santiago. If an 8.5 hit NYC as close as Haiti's did, we'd be digging out for a decade.

[Hector]

Good points, Paul.

[Hector]

Although the earthquake did strike 70 miles from Chile's second biggest city of Concepción.

[megoscott]

Awful, but it got my butt out to stock up on emergency supplies today. If the Hayward fault in Oakland ever goes it's going to be very bad.

[Hector]

My house is at top of a hill...and has been earthquake retrofitted...hopefully that can help take the big one...at least I hope...

[ScottA]

I've been in 2 while I was living in CA. They aren't fun.