Chile Earthquake - Case Study

Question 1

What is Chile’s GDP?

Answer 1

$298.2 billion
38th (out of 193) in the world

Question 2

What is Chile’s HDI?

Answer 2

41/187

Question 3

When did the Chile Earthquake happen?

Answer 3

27th February 2010

Question 4

What was the Chile Earthquake’s magnitude?

Answer 4

8.8 on the Richter scale

Question 5

What tectonic plate caused the earthquake?

Answer 5

It was a destructive plate margin where the Nazca plate subducts underneath the South American plate

Question 6

Where did the earthquake occur?

Answer 6

In the Pacific ocean causing a tsunami

Question 7

What were the primary effects of the earthquake?

Answer 7

1) Around 500 killed
2) 12,000 injured
3) 800,000 people affected
4) 22,000 homes destroyed
5) 4,500 schools destroyed
6) 53 ports and 56 hospitals destroyed
7) Santiago airport destroyed
8) Water, electricity and communications were lost
9) Well-constructed buildings were left standing
10) Cost $30 billion

Question 8

What were the secondary effects of the earthquake?

Answer 8

1) Landslides were triggered
* Damaged 1500 km of roads
* Debris blocked roads cutting off rural communities
2) Tsunami triggered
* This destroyed ports
3) Fire broke out in a chemical plant near Santiago airport meaning that many people needed to be evacuated

Question 9

What were the immediate responses of the earthquake?

Answer 9

1) Emergency services were deployed quickly
2) Search and rescue teams were sent to find survivors
3) Emergency field services were set up to help the injured
4) Within 24 hours, temporary repairs to Route 5 connecting capital to other areas and allowed response teams to travel to more remote communities
5) Temporary shelters were set up for the homeless
* Chilean government distributed 5000 temporary shelters
6) International aid groups set up emergency response units
7) 90% of homes had restored power and water within 10 days
8) $60 million raised to go towards reconstruction and emergency aid

Question 10

What were the long-term responses of the earthquake?

Answer 10

1) National housing reconstruction was set
2) Thousands of houses and buildings were unsafe and were demolished
3) Had funds for reconstruction and recovery
4) The president of Chile announced full recovery would take 4 years