CHILE EARTHQUAKE REPORT
March 2010
By Marcos Morales, CJFM Missionary
Mendoza, Argentina

Through this report we would like to inform you about the situation regarding the earthquake that occurred on Saturday, February 27, at 3:35 a.m. local time.

Here in Mendoza, just across the Argentine border from Chile, the earthquake registered 5.8 on the Richter scale and lasted for about a minute. A minute may not seem like a long time, but believe me—when everything around you is swaying and shaking, it can seem like an eternity! There were no human casualties here in our city; the damage mainly affected houses and office buildings, especially some older structures. High-rise apartment buildings were shaken and the residents were so frightened, especially after hearing the reports from nearby Chile, they spent the rest of the night camping outside rather than returning to their dwellings.

In God's grace, we all are well. We are thankful to the Lord that our brothers and sisters from the fellowship have not suffered any damage, either. On the Shabbat when the earthquake happened, we went ahead and conducted the meeting, just like we do on every Saturday. During the service, we prayed for the quake victims. Many of our people shared their own experiences from this unexpected tragedy.

In the immediate aftermath of the earthquake, we were told that the situation in Santiago, Chile, was chaotic. As you probably heard on the news in North America, the quake reached an amazing 8.8 on the Richter scale. Hundreds of people were killed, thousands more injured, and more than two million left homeless. The main road that connects Santiago with the Biobío region (epicenter of the earthquake) was devastated, with collapsed highways and roads making it even more difficult for help and assistance to arrive from neighboring Concepcion.

Only now are telephone and cell phone communications being restored. For a week or more, relatives were concerned about their loved ones because they couldn't reach them by phone. I myself tried to call churches and other friends across the border after the quake, but couldn't get through. But now communications are improving.

Santiago International Airport sustained massive damage and was closed for five days while crews worked on the damaged runways and buildings. During that time, domestic flights were diverted to our airport here in Mendoza; and from here they took buses into Chile. The trip via a mountain highway is very tedious because of the heavy traffic and many slow trucks and other vehicles. Its a narrow road, so its almost impossible to pass the slower vehicles.

So far, we have had over 120 aftershocks from 5 to 6 on the Richter scale, many of which have been felt here in our area. Of these 120 replays, eight have been with the epicenter in Argentine territory and four of them right here in the area of Mendoza.

Right after the quake on February 27, the news reported that a group of 20 young Israelis who had been traveling in Chile was unaccounted for. However, they showed up later, once communications began to be restored; and thank God, they were safe and unharmed.

Please pray with us for the Chilean people, for the large Jewish community in Chile, and also for those of us here in Mendoza. Thank you for your concern for Deborah and me, and for your ongoing support of our work. May the Lord bless you and keep you.

Marcos Morales