Quake triggers massive waves in Chile
Pastor Dale Morgan
Quake triggers massive waves in Chile*
POSTED: 2350 GMT (0750 HKT), April 22, 2007
Story Highlights
• Saturday's 6.2-magnitude earthquake led to waves
• Masses of rock and earth plunged into the narrow inlet creating
26-foot waves
• President Michele Bachelet arrived in the area Sunday
• Angry residents met president; say the government has been slow to help
SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) -- Rescuers found the bodies Sunday of three people
who were swept out to sea by huge waves triggered by a powerful
earthquake that sent avalanches crashing into a fjord in southern Chile.
Seven others were missing.
While there was no tsunami, Saturday's 6.2-magnitude earthquake caused
masses of rock and earth to plunge from surrounding hills into the
narrow inlet, creating 26-foot (8-meter) waves.
The roaring, white-capped water destroyed boats, uprooted trees and
overwhelmed beachgoers. Police Maj. Claudio Escobar said the search
would continue until the seven missing people had been located.
A correspondent for Chilevision television, who was at the beach to
install an antenna, said he saw a man and his young daughter dragged
into the water by a large wave.
"There were some boats in the area and waves destroyed them," Orlando
Adriazola said. "The boat we arrived in was thrown on top of a tree,
partly destroyed."
The government's Emergency Bureau identified the three bodies as Ernesto
Contreras, 65; his wife, Elsa Poblete, 54; and their 2-year-old grandson
Genaro Linay. They were found in Aysen Fjord, near the epicenter of the
quake. The seven missing people weren't identified.
Meanwhile, Chilean President Michele Bachelet arrived Sunday and was met
by protests from angry residents who say the government has been slow to
offer assistance following several months of seismic activity in the region.
After touring the area, Bachelet said the government would reinforce the
area's health services with more doctors and ambulances, as well as a
helicopter and a power generator in case of a new emergency.
Public Works Minister Eduardo Bitran and a team of engineers will fly to
the area on Monday to check a local bridge that was damaged by the
quake, she said.
Bachelet also was considering releasing emergency funds to the area,
located about 1,700 miles (2,050 kilometers) south of the Chilean
capital, Santiago.
Juan Cayupi, a volcanologist investigating the earthquake for the
government, said it "triggered several landslides from neighboring hills
into the sea, causing the level of water to rise steeply, violently, in
the form of huge waves."
Cayupi, who was at the fjord at the time of the quake, told The
Associated Press by telephone that the waters were calm on Sunday.
Saturday's early afternoon quake sent people into the streets in a panic
at Puerto Aysen and Puerto Chacabuco, the closest cities to the fjord,
with a combined population of 35,000.
Puerto Aysen Mayor Oscar Catalan was at the beach and saw six people
being pulled away by the current, according to the Chilean newspaper El
Mercurio.
The quake was the strongest of hundreds of quakes that have shaken the
area since January 22.
Meanwhile on Sunday, a moderate earthquake shook Santiago in central
Chile, with no immediate reports of damages or injuries. The
5.2-magnitude quake hit at 6:22 a.m. ET and was centered about 80 miles
(130 kilometers) northwest of Santiago.