The Adventist Development and Relief Agency in Chile is
preparing a response to last week’s 8.2-magnitude earthquake that left seven
people dead and disrupted power in and around the city of Iquique.
ADRA Chile Director Jorge Alé arrived in Iquique Friday to help
assess the situation and bring water purifiers to local residents living in
tents.
Alé met with officials of the Chile Humanitarian Network at Land
of Champions Stadium, which is functioning as headquarters for relief
operations.
Many people are still jittery following a 7.3-magnitude
aftershock that struck on April 3, a day after the first quake struck and
triggered a six-foot tsunami.
ADRA is present in Alto Hospicio and is considering a project
for the region, which was heavily impacted. Some residents are sleeping in
tents—either their homes have been damaged or as a precautionary measure
against aftershocks. An ADRA truck delivered food and water to the region over
the weekend.
Chile, located on a fault line between the Nazca and South
American tectonic plates, is prone to frequent earthquakes. In 2010, an
8.8-magnitude quake shook a region 200 miles south of the capital of Santiago,
killing hundreds and destroying hundreds of thousands of homes.
