Chile Needs your HELP TODAY
On
Feb. 27th, 2010 at 3.30 am local time an 8.8
magnitude earthquake hit Chile, becoming the fifth-largest quake ever
measured; with its epicenter laying just 3 miles off the coast of Concepción
(population 900.000). This city and many
towns along the coast have been devastated by the earthquake and the tsunami that followed. Over 186 aftershocks of magnitudes 5.0 or
more have continued to rattle heavily damaged cities along the country
including the capital city Santiago.
According
to local authorities, the official death
toll has risen up to 799 people; this number will
increase as rescue troops reach quake-ravaged corners of the nation still cut
off due to, fallen bridges and interrupted communications. According to Alicia Barcena, executive director of the U.N., as many as 1.2 million houses in the country may
have been destroyed or damaged by the quake, and over 2 million people have been displaced.
The country has a history of earthquakes and the most
stringent anti-seismic building codes, but the vastness of the movement and the
sheer magnitude of it was enough to create a disaster of proportions anywhere
in the world.
How can you help Chile?
Chile is organizing a country wide fund raising
supported by the visit of the U.S. Secretary of State Mrs. Hillary Clinton. A website to collect donations
has been set up by Chilean students at Harvard University and Massachusetts
Institute of Technology:
http://www.harvardmitchile.org/more-ways-to-donate.php
Please
make your donation on this website to help with the construction of 30.000
basic homes through the relief program “Chile helps Chile”, a joint effort
between citizens, local non-profit organizations (“Un Techo para Chile”, “Hogar de Cristo”, among others), private enterprises and
government.
On
behalf of those in need today in Chile, we thank you.
