Why Chile is Prone to Earthquakes

Chile is an earthquake-prone country, and that knowledge and preparedness for such calamities are ingrained in the government’s economic planning and governance. The national emergency office, which is organised at the national, regional and local level, coordinates the services of fire-fighters, medical teams, civil defence, etc which means that an effective emergency response system is in place. Moreover, strictly enforced house-building codes have ensured that structures are quake-proof. The wealthiest Latin American nation that has just been invited to join the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Chile refused financial assistance from abroad, though rescue and relief workers were being allowed in. Third World countries still have a long way to go in learning lessons from Chile in disaster management. Haiti’s experience six weeks ago shows how countries with limited resources, inefficient and corrupt governments and lacking the spirit of self-reliance suffer more when natural disasters strike. Though its temblor was milder than Chile’s Haiti lost 200,000 people.