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Aftershocks Shake Chile

   VOA News 05 March 2010
   The location of Friday's earthquake on the Chilean coast, 05 Mar 2010

Photo: USGS

   The location of Friday's earthquake on the Chilean coast, 05 Mar 2010

   A  series  of strong aftershocks has rattled Chile, not far from where
   the  deadly  8.8  magnitude  quake  caused  widespread destruction and
   triggered a tsunami nearly a week ago.
   The  U.S.  Geological  Survey  says  the aftershock early Friday had a
   magnitude   of  6.6  and  was  centered  41  kilometers  northwest  of
   Concepcion,  the  city hardest hit by last Saturday's quake. There are
   no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
   A magnitude 6.3 aftershock  rocked northern Chile late Thursday.
   Earlier,  Chile declared a three-day mourning period to remember those
   lost  in  Saturday's  quake.   The  official death toll from the quake
   stands  at 802, but reports say Chile is reviewing that figure because
   in some places the missing were counted as dead.
   President  Michelle  Bachelet has said it could take at least three or
   four years to rebuild the country.
   She  has  said  reconstruction costs following the massive quake could
   total about $30 billion.
   Chile  has  received  an  outpouring  of  support and pledges from the
   international community.  U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton took
   25  satellite phones to Chile as an initial U.S. contribution during a
   visit earlier this week.
   The Organization of American States said in a statement Thursday it is
   donating  20  satellite  phones  to  Chile  to help in re-establishing
   communication in areas isolated following the initial quake.
   OAS Secretary-General Jose Miguel Insulza, who is from Chile, has said
   the country can count on all the cooperation the OAS can provide.
   United  Nations  Secretary-General  Ban  Ki-moon  is scheduled to meet
   Friday   in  Santiago  with  President  Bachelet  and  President-elect
   Sebastian Pinera, who takes office March 11.
   Mr.  Ban  also  is  expected  to  visit Chile's second-largest city of
   Concepcion, one of the areas most affected by the 8.8 magnitude quake.
   Meanwhile,  rescue  teams  working with search dogs have been scouring
   collapsed  buildings in search of victims in Concepcion, which was the
   city closest to the epicenter of the first quake.

   Some  of  the  information  in  this  report  provided  by AP, AFP and
   Reuters.

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