By Community Correspondent Francesca Wolsoncroft
On 27th February 2010, the South-American country of Chile was hit by an earthquake, rating 8.8 on the Richter scale. The shock from the earthquake left tsunami warnings on the Hawaiian Islands and other land in the Pacific.
The earthquake struck the cities of Concepcíon, Santiago and Temuco at 6:45am UK time. Some of the worst damage is said to have been in the second largest city of Concepcíon. It is also estimated that the earthquake has left at least 214 people dead.
Homes in the cities and bridges were destroyed due to the force of the earthquake, and buildings burst into flames, because of burst gas pipes. Trucks were also plunged into gaps formed in the roads. Chile’s capital city Santiago, 200 miles from the epicentre, was left shaking for a minute and a half, as buildings plummeted to the ground.
The aftershocks from the earthquake were rated as 6.9 on the Richter scale.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here