Only 13 people die in an earthquake measuring 8.4 on the
Richter scale – the world’s strongest earthquake to date this year – while far
weaker earthquakes in Haiti and, more recently, Nepal, killed tens of
thousands.
In the most recent earthquake, a new system of warnings was
used to alert the population. Within minutes of the quake, downtown Coquimbo
and its coastal areas were rocked by loud sirens. A convoy of ambulances,
firefighters and police sought to accelerate the evacuation, as officers
convinced reluctant homeowners to head for the hills. Mobile phones were
targeted with a series of tsunami warning messages, urging residents to abandon
the coastal areas.
Mandatory building codes and a prepared government
evacuation plan helped save thousands of people from certain death. As severe
weather ramps up due to climate change bulletproof infrastructure will become
essential for heavily populated areas. Chile a country along the western coast
of South America has invested heavily in infrastructure and it seems to be
paying off. Its unique location is prone to earthquakes and tsunamis and is the
location of the largest earthquake ever recorded.
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