Newark Locals Among Chilean Earthquake Responders
NEWARK - After an 8.8 earthquake struck Chile Feb. 27, Council Vice President Luis Quintana announced that City Hall is working on an appro
ach to send relief to Chile.
"Just as our city came together to help the victims of the earthquake in Haiti, we must do the same for those affected by the recent earthquake in Chile," said Quintana. "My office is currently developing plans to help after determining the best way to aid those in Chile. We'll be reaching out to Newark's citizens in the coming days to help the victims and their families."
Chilean President Michelle Bachelet said she will be accepting some of the international aid being offered. An estimated two million Chileans are homeless or otherwise affected by the natural disaster.
International scientists recorded an 8.8-magnitude quake on the Richter scale at 3:34 a.m. Feb. 27. The tremor's epicenter was located in the Pacific Ocean just midway between Constitucion to the north and Talcahuand to the south.
The most severely affected area is roughly 50 miles wide and 300 miles long in central Chile, about half the size of Pennsylvania. That area, including Santiago to the north and Concepcion to the south, is part of the 2,700-mile long, 17 million-person country that separates Argentina from the Pacific Ocean. Chile's last severe quake, rated at 9.0, struck about 50 years ago and resulted in stricter building codes.
According to Chilean officials, the death toll reached 730 as of March 3. Several cities have been leveled, and others were flooded by a resulting tidal wave or further affected by aftershocks. At least five were killed by a tsunami that overtook Robinson Crusoe Island.
Hawaiian officials were among those 53 Pacific Rim countries or lands that took heed of a Pacific Tsunami Warning Center alert. Hawaiians, Tongans and Japanese were among those who evacuated to higher ground but found only three-foot higher waves Feb. 28 through March 1.
Bachelet has also sent 10,000 troops to Concepcion and other towns to crack down on looting. One supermarket was ransacked by people who decided to take advantage of the disaster conditions or those needing food and water.
Several organizations have opened Twitter or text accounts to electronically receive and transmit donations. Individuals can text "CHILE" to 25383 to donate $10 to Habitat for Humanity - or "CHILE" to 52000 to send the same amount to The Salvation Army.
Donations to the American Red Cross can be made by calling 1(800) HELP NOW (435-7669) in English or (800) 257-7575 in Spanish.
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