THE BEST AND WORST IN CHILE EMERGE AFTER EARTHQUAKE

March 4, 2010

By Catherine Reyes-Housholder
SANTIAGO DE CHILE – Natural disasters bring out the best and the worst in a country.
This was particularly true for Chile after Saturday´s 8.8 magnitude earthquake rocked several of its central and southern regions – taking the lives of hundreds – and tidal waves raged over beach towns – killing hundreds more.
In the days immediately after the earthquake, many in the devastated cities looted a variety of goods from supermarkets, pharmacies and shopping malls – leaving the rest of the population with nothing more to eat. Many psychologists agree that looting is a normal reaction during times of crisis because people go into “survival mode“ and aim to secure their existence.
However the live television images of young men stealing plasma televisions and looted shopping malls burning to the ground disgusted the vast majority of citizens here. “Why would the criminals stoop so low when their copatriots are hurting so much?“ Chileans asked themselves.
Crime has been a major issue in this country for years, and promises to fight crime helped center-right candidate Sebastián Piñera win the presidency in January. So when Chileans saw the looting live, and their fellow citizens in the south have to defend themselves against each other with sticks, many were outraged, but in a sense, not so surprised. It was sort of the feeling: “Well, there they go again! Those criminals have absolutely no respect for anyone. And now the world is watching.“
Last week there were reports of people in Santiago – a city that suffered relatively little and has returned to business as usual – robbing from trucks goods that were supposed to go the earthquake and tsunami victims.
The earthquake seemed to have brought out the worst in the nation.
Raged also infused many when officials began pointing fingers over the failure to sound the tsunami alert for the beach towns in the south – an error which probably cost hundreds of lives.
Confusion still clouds the truth in the controversy, but the Chilean press reports the following. The Chilean Armada is in charge of reading certain instruments minutes after the earthquake and determining if the possibility of a tsunami exists. At about 3:51 a.m. – about 15 minutes after the start of the earthquake – Armada did inform that National Emergency Office (ONEMI) that the possibility exists. After reading the measurements of its instruments, apparently many of the instruments were discalabrated, and the Armada later communicated to the National Emergency Office – where the President Michelle Bachelet was stationed at the time – that there was no possibility of a tsunami.
Officials from the Armada admitted that their tsunami warning was “confusing“ but insists that they did warn of a tsunami. They also accept responsibility for the deaths of probably hundreds of citizens from the beach towns who were ready to run to the hills, but who stayed near their homes because they received the message that there was no possibility of a tsunami.
Some ran to the hills anyway – despite the no-tsunami message – and their lives were saved.
The failure of this part of the national emergency system understandably outrages Chileans.
Despite the unnecessary looting by criminals and the apparent incompetence of some of the nation´s authorities, the good in Chile also emerges during this time of crisis.
Even though part of the national emergency system did fail, other disaster preparations proved the country was ready for such a disaster. In Santiago, building codes are based information gathered from the 9.5 magnitude earthquake – the worst ever recorded in history -- of 1960 that killed thousands. The law requires edifices to withstand earthquakes, and amazingly, the vast majority of them did. Extremely few collapsed entirely. One building in Ñuñoa – about 20 minutes from my apartment – in so damaged that authorities fear it will collapse and ordered an evacuation. The building leans a bit like the Tower of Pisa and could fall any minute.
But overall, Santiago – and many other cities in center-southern Chile – withstood one of the greatest earthquakes in recorded history – impressively well.
As normality has mostly returned to the capital, hundreds of volunteers from a plethora of Chilean organizations are collecting and sorting clothes, food and supplies for earthquake victims. The volunteers are primarily young people who will begin classes again in the coming days or weeks. Many from Hogar de Cristo (Christ´s Home) – a Catholic organization dedicated to providing for the homeless – worked a 12-hour shift last night, sorting clothes, food and supply kits. Others are from “Un Techo para Chile“ (“A Roof for Chile“) which is dedicated to provided housing for the homeless.
Some private companies are giving millions to aid the victims. Mining company Anglo-American –where my husband works – promised to give $10 million, one of the largest amounts donated so far.
Starting on Friday at 10 p.m., Chilean celebrity Mario Kreutzberger (otherwise known as “Don Francisco“) will host a 24-hour national fund-raising television show called “Chile Ayuda a Chile“ or “Chile Helps Chile.“ Kreutzberger is famous for his annual fund-raising shows in Chile – called “teletón“ – that collect money for handicapped Chileans. The goal is to raise $30 million this weekend for the earthquake victims.
Although the looting is discouraging, it has mostly stopped because there is nothing left to loot in many towns, and the heavy military presence enforces a strict curfew. Now the giving and volunteering is encouraging the disaster victims as the initial aid is arriving to the neediest areas.
Even though the ineptitude of some national officials to warn of a tsunami probably cost hundreds of lives, earthquake-resistant buildings saved millions more. Thankfully, the Armada admitted its error and did not go to great lengths to cover up its mistake. Transparency in terms of the mistakes committed during this earthquake is necessary to fix the emergency warning system.
If the good and bad emerge as Chile recovers from one of the greatest earthquakes recorded, the good certainly outweigh the bad.
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Foreigners can also make donations to Hogar de Cristo at this web address (in English): http://www.hogardecristo.cl/index.php/colabora-con-nosotros/aid-to-earthquake-victims/