A magnitude 8.8 earthquake, the fifth biggest ever recorded, hit just off of Chile’s central coast on Saturday, February 27, at 3:30 a.m., according to the BBC News. The earthquake and ensuing tidal wave have already claimed more than 700 lives in Chile; and this number, officials report, is bound to rise as relief crews begin to sift through the rubble. In total, 500,000 homes were destroyed, and more than 1.5 million Chileans remain without power.
With the tragedy in Chile following so closely on the heels of the devastating earthquake in Haiti, many are making revealing comparisons regarding the two Latin American countries, and the charitable response to the natural disaster in each nation, as in this article from The Chronicle of Philanthropy. Although the earthquake in Chile technically had 500 times the force of the earthquake in Haiti, the infrastructure in place ensured that many newer buildings, built to strict codes, did not collapse as they did in Port-Au-Prince.
As Anne Applebaum pointed out in her article in The Washington Post today, it’s a poignant illustration of how, although earthquakes are accidents of fate, the ability to respond adequately is not. The resilience of a nation in the face of disaster is the result of a stable government and a good economy. It’s this critical difference that will mediate the philanthropic response from both individual donors and grantmakers alike.
Regardless of the differences, however, there is still real need among the people of Chile for support. Individuals looking to donate to earthquake survivors in Chile may read about opportunities to contribute aid in this article from the Huffington Post. Those wishing to keep up to date on the latest activity related to the Chilean earthquake can find a wealth of up-to-the minute information at Google’s Support Disaster Relief in Chile webpage.
- Cary Lenore Walski, MCF web communications associate
