Claudio Santana/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
From left, Presidents Evo Morales of Bolivia, Fernando Lugo of Paraguay and Rafael Correa of Ecuador during a 7.2 magnitude aftershock during the inauguration ceremony of Chilean President Sebastián Piñera on Thursday.
By ALEXEI BARRIONUEVO and JACK HEALY
Published: March 11, 2010
By ALEXEI BARRIONUEVO and JACK HEALY
Published: March 11, 2010
SANTIAGO, Chile — At least three major aftershocks rocked central Chile on Thursday, striking minutes before its president-elect was sworn into office to take charge of a country still reeling from a devastating earthquake nearly two weeks ago.
Chile’s Navy rapidly issued a tsunami alert, and Chilean television carried reports of residents of coastal areas fleeing for higher ground. There were no immediate reports of damage, but in the capital of Santiago, 95 miles north of the epicenters, windows rattled, buildings trembled and cell phone service went down.
Chile’s Navy rapidly issued a tsunami alert, and Chilean television carried reports of residents of coastal areas fleeing for higher ground. There were no immediate reports of damage, but in the capital of Santiago, 95 miles north of the epicenters, windows rattled, buildings trembled and cell phone service went down.
In the coastal city of Valparaiso, about 90 miles from the site of Thursday’s earthquakes, dignitaries who gathered for the inauguration of President Sebastián Piñera made nervous jokes and glanced at the shuddering ceiling of the National Congress building as the quakes hit, according to news reports.
Mr. Piñera, however, showed no sign of acknowledging the tremors, and continued to shake hands with leaders and supporters before taking the oath of office. But the building was evacuated after the inauguration.
The first of the three major aftershocks hit at 11:39 a.m., with a magnitude of 7.2. It the strongest to hit since Chile was ravaged by an 8.8-magnitude quake on Feb. 27.
The United States Geological Survey reported that the quake struck the coast near the city of Rancagua, and was quickly followed by one of 6.9 magnitude at 11:55 a.m., and another of 6.0 magnitude at 12:06 p.m.Scores of strong aftershocks have rattled Chile’s interior and its coastline since one of the most powerful earthquakes on record, at magnitude 8.9, devastated the country on Feb. 27. That quake killed hundreds of people, toppled apartment buildings and bridges, and stirred up powerful waves that wiped away entire fishing villages as they pounded the southern coast of the country.
The United States Geological Survey also reported that two other shocks, with magnitudes of about 5.0, hit the central part of Chile and its south earlier Thursday.
.
.
No comments:
Post a Comment