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Thursday, March 11, 2010
Counting the cost of earthquake hell
BY FINBARR SLATTERY
WILL 2010 be remembered as the year of the earthquake?
Less than a fortnight had elapsed in the year when a quake struck in Haiti and, at the time of writing, the estimated death toll had reached 230,000 lives.
That earthquake measured just seven on the Richter Scale which measures the relative amount of energy released by the earthquake. The scale is named after US seismologist Charles Richter (19001985) who along with another US seismologist, Beno Gutenberg (18891960) devised the scale in 1935.
The dreadful death toll in Haiti is accounted for by cheap buildings easily collapsing. In October 1989 another quake of magnitude seven hit the densely populated but wealthy bay area in Northern California where 63 people died.
The most recent earthquake took place on February 27 in Chile and it had a magnitude of 8.8 and is among the top six recorded since 1900. Looking at the aftermath of the quake on TV, the destruction caused was really frightful with well-built buildings, bridges and roads collapsing all over the place.
On 22 May 1960, Southern Chile was hit by the most powerful earthquake ever recorded at a magnitude of 9.5. Around 6,000 people were killed. As a result, almost every large building constructed in Chile since then has been designed to withstand tremors.
You could see that looking at the destruction caused by the latest earthquake as much of the buildings remained intact after collapsing when the ground was literally taken from under them.
Chile is not like Haiti as the building codes there are quite strict. The wealth Chile derives as one of the world’s largest copper producers is a big help. Still, it looks like the casualty figure is going to be near the 1,000 mark.
The earthquake was felt as far away as Sao Paolo in Brazil – 1,800 miles away. What a finish to President Bachelet’s term in office which ends this week and what a challenge is facing the incoming president, Sebastian Pinera, the billionaire business man who takes over on Thursday.
He swept to victory on a promise to revive the Chilean economy but the task facing him now will be getting the country on the recovery trail and back on its feet so to speak. It’s a monumental task whatever way you look at it.
The concluding paragraph of an editorial on the quake in the Irish Times (March 1) sets the scene on the massive challenge that lies ahead:
"Chile’s challenge is now massive. The immediate task of rescuing the trapped and wounded and then of helping Chileans rebuild an estimated half a million homes as well as hundreds of buckled roads and collapsed bridges will severely tax this relatively rich economy. International help must be forthcoming, speedy and generous."
Here’s wishing the new man every success at the helm.
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