Chile Earthquake

Three strong earthquakes struck Chile on March 11, 2010, just a few weeks after an 8.8 earthquake in the same country.http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703625304575115520094088014.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_LEFTTopStories One of the earthquakes were of 7.2 magnitude. The earthquakes struck Chile just a few minutes before the new president Sebastian Pinera took office. The first earthquake's epicenter was in the region of Libertador O'Higgins, about 124 kilometers from Santiago, the capital. The second earthquake was of 5.1 magnitude and was centered in the Arucania, Chile, about 555 kilometers south of the capital.http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Earthquake-Aftershocks-And-Tsunami-Warning-As-Chile-Swears-In-President-Sebastian-Pinera/Article/201003215572028?lpos=World_News_Top_Stories_Header_1&lid=ARTICLE_15572028_Earthquake_Aftershocks_And_Tsunami_Warning_As_Chile_Swears_In_President_Sebastian_Pinera

An 8.8 strong earthquake hit Chile on February 27, 2010, around 3:34 a.m. (1:43 a.m. ET). The earthquake hit 56 miles northeast of the city of Concepcion at a depth of 22 miles.

Officials reported at least 802 people were killed due to the earthquake, but lowered that number to 279 in a statement on March 5, 2010http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-chile-victims5-2010mar05,0,606084.story. About 1.5 million homes were damaged.http://www.todayonline.com/BreakingNews/EDC100227-0000186/Death-toll-from-8,8-magnitude-quake-in-Chile-rises-to-214-about-1,5-mln-homes-suffer-damagehttp://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article7044251.ece The quake severed telephone and power lines, hindering communications with the affected area. According to local media, buildings in the historic center of Santiago were also damaged. Santiago lies 200 miles north of the epicenter. The "state of catastrophe" has been declared in the affected areas. The quake was felt from Japan to Argentina, according to Facebook and Twitter users.

A tsunami warning was issued for Hawaii, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Antarctica, Panama and Costa Rica by The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE61Q0S920100227http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/chile/7329759/Massive-earthquake-hits-Chile.htmlhttp://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eqinthenews/2010/us2010tfan/ A tsunami hit Hawaii around 12 p.m. local time. Waves are expected to be as high as 8 feet.http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,587588,00.html On Sunday February 28, the tsunami warning was lifted.http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/2010/02/28/2010-02-28_untitled__3chile28m.html

The earthquake and its aftershocks have severely damaged both the nation's Copper winning industry, as well as the wining industry, as millions of bottles of wine were destroyed. Chile is the #10 wine producing country in the world, with over 0.8 millions of metric tons of wine produced yearly, and according to wine producers representatives , up to 12.5 percent of the country's cellared wine was lost, while other estimates are as high as 20%. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/03/AR2010030304180.html?hpid=topnews

A powerful aftershock, with magnitude 6.9, was reported by USGS early Saturday, February 27, 2010, located 130 miles west-southwest of Concepcion, at a depth of 24 miles.An aftershock of magnitude 5.5 followed later, 28 miles off the coast of Valparaiso, as well as several more aftershocks. In the days after the initial quake, over 140 aftershocks were registered. http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Maps/10/285_-35.phpAftershocks are very common after a severe earthquake, and can occur weeks or even months after the initial earthquake.http://in.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idINIndia-46526420100227

Information on the most recent earthquakes in the region can be found here: USGS Earthquake map

According to Geophysicists, strong earthquakes like the Chile Earthquake, as well as the [Haiti Earthquake]] earlier in 2010 have their influence on the thickness of the earth's crust, and thereby changing the spinning rate of the earth. According to geophysicist Richard Gross, who has been interviewed by the Los Angeles Times, each day from now on will be 1.26 millionth of a second shorter because of the Chile Earthquake:
"[The planet] got a bit more compact. Just like a spinning skater brings her arms in closer to her body to rotate faster."

According to NASA scientist, the Indonesian quake shortened each day by 2.68 microseconds.http://io9.com/5485130/why-the-chile-earthquake-deformed-the-earth-and-shortened-our-days?skyline=true&s=i

A strong and shallow earthquake struck northern Chile at approximately 7:00 p.m. PST on April 16, 2009.Twitter/BNO News: Chile Earthquake (April 16, 2009) First reported as having a magnitude of 5.9, the tremor was upgraded to 6.3 just minutes later by the US Geological Survey. Its depth was a relatively shallow six miles.Twitter/BNO News: Chile Earthquake (April 16, 2009)

A 6.3 earthquake struck central Chile on December 18, 2008.IRIS (Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology): IRIS Seismic Monitor The center of the quake was near the city of Valparaiso.International Herald Tribune: Strong earthquake shakes Chile (December 18, 2008)

1. Earthquake struck at 6:19 pm local timeInternational Herald Tribune: Strong earthquake shakes Chile (December 18, 2008)
2. Center of quake was about 45 miles north of ValparaisoInternational Herald Tribune: Strong earthquake shakes Chile (December 18, 2008)
3. Officials said the quake caused no major damageThe Associated Press:: Strong earthquake shakes Chile (December 18, 2008)
4. No immediate reports of damage or injuriesInternational Herald Tribune: Strong earthquake shakes Chile (December 18, 2008)
5. A 5.8-magnitude aftershock followed half an hour laterInternational Herald Tribune: Strong earthquake shakes Chile (December 18, 2008)
6. The city of Valparaiso has about 300,000 inhabitants and includes a seaport that is an UNESCO World Heritage Site
7. Valparaiso is the second largest city in ChileThe Associated Press:: Strong earthquake shakes Chile (December 18, 2008)
8. The quake was also felt in Chile's capital Santiago

A 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck in northern Chile on September 10, 2008. The center of the quake was near the town of Pica. The quake struck near the town of Pica and about 63 miles from the city Iquique.Charlotte Observer: ...6.0 earthquake rocks northern Chile (September 10, 2008)Collahuasi, a large copper mine near Iquique, was not affected. Reuters: Chile's Collahuasi unaffected by quake (September 10, 2008)

One of the largest earthquakes recorded in history also struck southern Chile in 1960. The quake measured Magnitude 9.5 and made about 2 million people homeless.USGS: The Largest Earthquake in the World