Purpose: To inform about the recent earthquake

Audience: Americans
The New York Times
September 22, 2015
Wednesday, September 16, an 8.3 magnitude earthquake struck Chile, approximately 29 miles
off of the coast of Illapel, a small city located northwest of the countrys capital, Santiago.
The quake triggered 16 foot tsunami waves causing the most damage in coastal regions.
The port city of Coquimbo felt significant damage, prompting the government to declare a state of
emergency in the region. The fifty foot waves knocked out electricity from thousands of homes.
Mass flooding as well as power outages were reported in over 240,000 households.
President Michelle Bachelet reported a total of eleven casualties.Once again, we must confront a
powerful blow from naturesaid the president. 1 million residents were forced to evacuate
their homes, many of which will be unable to return. Chile is a historically high risk zone for
earthquakes. Known as the Ring of Fire, the country is located off the coast, on a fault line and
shifting tectonic plate, known as Nasca on the Pacific Ocean. The fault line is similar to the San
Andreas fault in California, which is the catalyst of many earthquakes in the western state.
In 1960, the strongest earthquake ever documented on Earth took place in Chile. At a striking
magnitude of 9.5, the number casualties amounted to over 5000.
Since 1973, Chile has experienced over a dozen earthquakes with magnitude over 7.
In 2010, an earthquake with the magnitude of 8.8 struck central Chile and affected over 2 million
people, resulting in over 525 casualties and the destruction of 220,000 homes. The quakes
epicenter was located only several miles from the location of the 1960 world record location.
However, the high number of casualties was the result of misinformation from the government,
resulting in officials being put on trial for manslaughter.
Government officials, including the director of the Chilean National Emergency Office and the
director of the Navys Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service failed to issue an evacuation alert
of the coming tsunami to coastal residences, which accounted for 81 deaths. In addition, the
government denied international aid, and delayed providing relief for the hardest hit areas.
However, new strategies were put in place to prevent unnecessary deaths during future disasters
and to fortify citizens trust in the government. In 2015, the government is taking a more proactive
response in handling natural disasters. As one of the most seismically active countries in the world,
the government has increased funding on programs to increase citizens protection and security.

According to Bachelet, the decrease in casualties since 2010 was due to the citizens response to
government mandated evacuations. "We want to thank people for their cooperation, which allowed
for a death toll that while unfortunate was not very high considering the strength of the
earthquake stated the president.
However, according to Margareta Wahlstrom, U.N. special representative of the secretary-general
for disaster risk reduction, the greatest contributing factor was stricter building codes. "The key to
surviving high magnitude quakes is to live and work in seismically safe buildings, while being
aware of how nature around us can also change." In addition to seeking higher ground during an
earthquake,
Susan Hough, a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey told the Associated Press:
Earthquake impact is a little like real estate: What matters is location, location, location.
John Bellini, a Denver-based geophysicist at the U.S. Geological Survey commented: you would
see less damage [in Chile] than in other places that have poorer building codes .... that's probably
one of the reasons there haven't been as many casualties as there could have been from a
magnitude earthquake of this size." Richard Olson, director of Florida International Universitys
Extreme Events Institute commented: I would rather be there in one of their cities than in many
other countries in an earthquake.In contrast to Chile, the high number of casualties of the 2010
disaster in Port-au-Prince, Haiti reinforces the importance of building codes. At only 7 magnitude
on the Richter scale, the death toll rose well above 200,000.

References:
Alden, A. (n.d.). About subduction. Retrieved September 22, 2015, from
http://geology.about.com/library/bl/blnutshell_subduction.htm
The article explains what happens the science behind earthquakes, and how the shifting of the
tectonic plates influences seismic activity. A scientific connection helps elucidate what
occurred during the earthquake in Chile.
Bonnefoy, P. (2013, May 16). Chilean judge upholds manslaughter charges linked to 2010 tsunami.
Retrieved September 23, 2015, from
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/17/world/americas/chilean-judge-upholds-manslaughter-ch
arges-against-officials-over-tsunami-alert.html

The article provides background information of the backlash the Chilean government
received from failing to issue a tsunami warning, which resulted in preventable deaths. The
article sets up the importance of the government adopting new strategies, which ultimately
reduced casualties.

Bonnefoy, P., & Romero, S. (2015, September 17). Chile Sees Extensive Damage After Earthquake
and Tsunami. Retrieved September 22, 2015, from
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/18/world/americas/chile-earthquake-damage.html
The article provides data of the 2010 earthquake in Chile, in order to contrast the number of
death tolls to the recent disaster.
Chile rocked by deadly 8.3 magnitude earthquake. (n.d.). Retrieved September 22, 2015, from
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/tsunami-warning-issued-for-hawaii-after-chile-earthquake/
The article demonstrates how the earthquake also affected other countries. In addition, the
article describes personal accounts of the earthquakes damage.
Griggs, M. (n.d.). Why chile's huge earthquake wasn't much worse. Retrieved September 22, 2015,
from http://www.popsci.com/why-chiles-huge-earthquake-wasnt-worse
The article illustrates the importance of building codes and and enforcing evacuation drills to
ensure the safety of citizens and prevent casualties. The article provides Haiti as a contrasting
example of a nation lacking building codes, ultimately resulting in higher number of deaths.
Haiti Earthquake Fast Facts. (2015, January 6). Retrieved September 23, 2015, from
http://www.cnn.com/2013/12/12/world/haiti-earthquake-fast-facts/index.html

The article provided data from the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Despite the fact that the
earthquake was lower on the Richter scale, the quake did more damage than in Chile.
Helsel, P., Rudansky, A., & Guerrero, H. (2015, September 17). Earthquake strikes off chilean coast,
over 1 million evacuated. Retrieved September 22, 2015, from
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/8-3-magnitude-earthquake-strikes-coast-chile-n428736

Historic earthquakes. (n.d.). Retrieved September 22, 2015, from

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/world/events/1960_05_22.php
The article provides facts about the strongest earthquake of history, which took place in Chile.
Lyons, L. (1998, December 29). Thrust fault. Retrieved September 22, 2015, from
http://www.abag.ca.gov/bayarea/eqmaps/fixit/ch2/sld004.htm
The article provides information on how the position of Chile on a fault line affects seismic
activity.
Quiroga, J., & Thompson, E. (n.d.). Chile begins relief efforts after powerful quake kills eight.
Retrieved September 22, 2015, from
http://time.com/4039716/tsunami-earthquake-chilean-emergency/
The article explains how the government responded to more damage in Coquimbo. As a result
the government provided immediate aid for the area, as opposed to delaying aid in the past.
Rafferty, J. (n.d.). Chile earthquake of 2010. Retrieved September 22, 2015, from
http://www.britannica.com/event/Chile-earthquake-of-2010
The article informs of the Ring of Fire, which is known for seismic activity. The recent
earthquake was a result of the shifting Nasca plate.