SANTIAGO, Chile—Chile was rocked by a series of violent aftershocks on Thursday, causing panic and the disruption of the presidential inauguration ceremonies.
The first large aftershock stuck at 11:39 a.m. local time (9:39 a.m. EST), just as president-elect Sebastian Pinera was about to be sworn in. While the incoming and outgoing presidents and other podium officials showed no signs that anything out of the ordinary was happening, the ceremony was reportedly shortened.
The first quake registered 6.9 on the Richter scale, followed about 15 minutes later by another of magnitude 6.7 quake and 11 minutes later another at magnitude 6.0. By evening, roughly 15 shocks had occurred that registered at least 4.9 or higher on the Richter scale.
Original estimates for the first quake were reported as high as magnitude 7.2 but the numbers were later revised downward by the U.S. Geological Survey. The quakes occurred 90 miles southwest of the Chilean capital of Santiago.
Authorities quickly issued a tsunami alert for Chile’s coast, regions 5 through 10, that was devastated by a tsunami triggered by the magnitude 8.8 quake last month. Chile’s navy was criticized last time for failing to issue a timely alert, which might have given locals time to evacuate. Hundreds of residents died as coastal villages were entirely wiped out.
Several hours later, the alert was canceled but panic had already ripped through the coastal areas. Villagers, still traumatized by the deadly tsunami that flattened much of the coast after the Feb. 27 earthquake, were seen rushing to the hills seeking higher ground.
Local media showed scenes of chaos in the coastal cities and towns including Valparaiso, Viña, Tumbes, Talca, and Concepción, which was the most damaged city after the quake last month.
On a slightly lighter note, in the fishing village of Pichilemu, the first aftershock interrupted a couple’s wedding and the whole party evacuated to the hills where they made an impromptu BBQ reception, the local media reported. Some Pichilemu villagers told reporters that they’d prefer to sleep in the hills rather than come back down to their homes along the coast.
In the capital of Santiago, telephone communication was disrupted and people left homes and buildings seeking safety from falling objects in the streets.
The government announced that it was considering diverting money from cultural budget items to the reconstruction of the cities, including hospitals, schools, and libraries.
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