Chile Earthquake: Death Toll Soars From 8.8-Magnitude Quake
Three Americans Missing, Dozens Dead in Quake 64 Times Stronger Than Haiti’s
Rolling aftershocks battered Chile nearly every hour today after a earthquake rocked Chile that rocked the country early this morning.
The death toll from the quake climbed throughout the day, and by evening the national emergency office was saying at least 300 people had died in the disaster.
U.S. officials have been unable to reach at least three Americans working with the U.S. Embassy in Chile.
The quake also triggered tsunami warnings in areas as far away as the western coast of the United States, Hawaii and Japan.
Chilean President Michelle Bachelet said that though central Chile was devastated by the earthquake, she has not requested international assistance.
“The system is functioning,” she said. “People remain calm. We’re doing everything we can with all the forces we have.”
The U.S. Embassy estimates up to 1,000 American citizens are in the most affected area, but said no American casualties or injuries have been reported. Chile’s Minister of Housing said in an interview on Chilean TV that about 1.5 million houses have been damaged by the earthquake and 500,000 houses are severely damaged.
The earthquake, which hit just after 3 a.m. local time, was 500 times larger than the one that devastated Haiti last month but was much deeper, likely making the number of casualties far fewer than those in the Caribbean nation.
[ABC News]
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