M7.2 EARTHQUAKE STRIKES CENTRAL CHILE NEAR THE

LOCATION OF THE M8.8 FEBRUARY 2010 QUAKE

March 25, 2012

Walter Hays, Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction, University of

North Carolina, USA

The M7.2 earthquake occurred on Sunday; 106 km (64 miles) west northwest of Talca, a city of 200,000+, and 226 km (134 miles) south of Santiago at a depth of 30 km (19 miles).

A SEISMOGRAM OF THE QUAKE

TALCA: FRIGHTENED RESIDENTS GATHER OUTSIDE

EARLY REPORTS

NO MAJOR DAMAGE OR DEATHS;

NO TSUNAMI

THE FEBRUARY 2010 EARTHQUAKE

M8.8 EARTHQUAKE STRIKES CENTRAL CHILE:

3:34 am on February 27, 2010

Subduction Zone Quake 500 Times More Energy than the M7.0 Haiti Quake

800+ Deaths; 500+ Injured

Numerous Aftershocks

Tsunami Waves Traveled Across Pacific

Estimated Loss: $30 Billion

The Chilean people had to cope with the demands associated with: 1) a mega-quake, 2) a vigorous aftershock sequence with large events, 3) tsunami wave run up, 4) looting by some of the affluent sector, and 5) recovery after the loss of 15 percent of the GDP.

LOCATION: 330 KM (200 MI) FROM SANTIAGO

LOCATION: 100 KM FROM CONCEPCION; 330 KM FROM SANTIAGO

The quake’s hypocenter was at a depth of 37 km (22 miles)

DAMAGE IN HAITI (LEFT) MUCH WORSE THAN IN CHILE (RIGHT)

It was a catastrophic experience, even though Chile has experienced many past earthquakes, has implemented a modern building code, and was well prepared to respond to all aspects of the emergency.

Newly built apartment buildings were severely damaged and collapsed. Flames consumed buildings and a prison. Millions of people fled into streets darkened by the failure of power lines. Roads were damaged and bridges collapsed, causing cars and trucks to crash.

An estimated 1 ½ million buildings were damaged, with about 1/3 of them collapsing, along with extensive and wide spread damage to the infrastructure.

The damage could cost Chile up to $30 billion, equivalent to roughly 15 percent of its gross domestic product.

Swiss Re, the world's second-largest reinsurer, said the impact on the financial/insurance sector is expected to be between $4 billion and $7 billion.

CONCEPCION: INT’L SPACE STATION PHOTO:

PRESIDENT BACHELET VIEWS DAMAGE IN CONCEPCION

DAMAGED BUILDING IN CONCEPCION

FIRE AT CONCEPCION: 90 KM FROM EPICENTER

CONCEPCION: DAMAGED BUILDING

DAMAGED BUILDING DETAIL: CONCEPCION

CONCEPCION: URGENT MASS CARE NEEDS

CONCEPCION: LOOTERS

SEARCH AND RESCUE: CONCEPCION

TALCA: DAMAGE TO HOUSES

TALCA: DAMAGE TO HOUSES

TALCA: DAMAGED HOTEL

INTERIOR DAMAGE

SANTIAGO: DAMAGED BUILDINGS

SANTIAGO: DAMAGE TO CHURCH

DAMAGE TO BUREO BRIDGE—HIGHWAY 5

TALCA: DAMAGE TO BRIDGE (300 KM S OF SANTIAGO)

CONCEPCION: ELEVATED HIGHWAY COLLAPSED

ELEVATED HIGHWAY COLLAPSE DETAIL

ELEVATED HIGHWAY COLLAPSE DETAIL

ELEVATED HIGHWAY COLLAPSE DETAIL

MOTOR WAY IN SANTIAGO

The aftershocks of the mega-earthquake provided an opportunity for measuring ground and building response for a range of excitation levels and site conditions.

Damage from tsunami wave run up was worse locally along the coast of Chile than at distant locations along the Pacific rim.

LOCAL TSUNAMI DAMAGE

TALCAHUANO PORT: LOCAL TSUNAMI DAMAGE

TALCAHUANO PORT: LOCAL TSUNAMI DAMAGE

PELLEHUE, CHILE: AFTER TSUNAMI WAVE RUNUP

DICHATO, CHILE: AFTER TSUNAMI WAVE RUNUP

TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER ALERTS HAWAII

TSUNAMI WAVES MOVE ACROSS THE PACIFIC

HAWAII: 15 HOUR ADVANCE WARNING

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, HAWAII, AMERICAN SAMOA, GUAM, JAPAN, AND OTHER LOCATIONS IN PATH OF TSUNAMI WAVES DURING NEXT 15 HOURS “DODGED A BULLET” WHEN THE WAVE RUNUP WAS MUCH LESS THAN FORECAST.