8.8 Earthquake Hits Chile

Valparaiso, Chile -
At 3:48am on the morning of Saturday, February 27, I recall exactly where I was standing. Or trying to stand..

Three friends of mine and myself had just left a club called "2012: El Fin del Mundo para Carrete", which translates to "2012: The End of the World Party" (an appropriate name for what I saw next). The second we stepped outside onto the sidewalk, I saw the road starting to mimic the nearby ocean. Parked cars and telephone poles were tethering on top of a jelly-like avenue. I later described to my compañeros that I was riding the street like riding a surfboard, catching concrete olas (waves).

I heard that the terremoto (earthquake) in Valparaíso was around a 6.5 on the richter scale; nothing in comparison to the 8.8 quake that originated just north of Concepcion in the middle-southern part of Chile. It took me a few seconds to acknowledge what was going on. I wasn't scared; it was more of a state of shock and awe. Aware that I was not in any immediate danger, I marveled at the spectacle of this happening; a phenomenon that I've never seen in my 23 years.

I was totally oblivious to the magnitude of the damage that the earthquake had caused. With communication systems down, I had no way of knowing that the 2nd largest earthquake this country has seen (the 5th largest in recorded world history) had just happened. The earthquake has displaced more than 2million people and has killed more than 700.
source: BBC News and New York Times
Although the quake was larger than the 7.0 earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12 killing over 200,000 people, much of Chile's infrastructure held strong. However, older buildings in the south were not as sturdy.

I am very fortunate that I was not closer to the epicenter of this calamity. Many are without food and water or even clothes. Those who were in danger of tsunamis are camping outside on hills outside of their cities. The military has been sent to hard hit areas where there have been many incidents of looting. Please keep in your thoughts and prayers all of those who are feeling the affects of this catastrophe.

(apologies for looking so gloomy, I recorded this video shortly after waking up)


My volunteer teach English program is currently reorganizing and trying to get more information on our placement schools and host families. We will be starting our teaching orientation soon and hopefully be on our way to our placements by next week. All we can do now is wait.

Here is an article from my hometown online newspaper, Cumberland Times-News, that gives an account from my friend Jordan who was interviewed. The title is great:
Cumberland Men Survive Chilean Earthquake
Here is the article that made the front page of the actual newspaper. Such a great picture!


Photo: A collapsed building in Concepcion, Chile. (AP photo)


More photos at boston.com