THE EARTHQUAKE IN CHILE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8M_SSm7ppO4 February 27, 2010

The Earthquake 22 miles under the surface of the ocean, an earthquake with a magnitude of 8.8 was activated The quake was 700 to 800 times stronger than the earthquake in Haiti The quake was followed by 76 aftershocks. These aftershocks had magnitudes of 4.9 and higher

                                                                                                                                                                                 

WHY DID THIS HAPPEN? Two tectonic plates – the Nazca plate and the South America plate, pushed past one another. The accumulated pressure resulted in waves of vibration within the Earth. The focus point, or epicenter, of the earthquake was 70 miles from Concepcion, Chile’s second largest city.

EFFECTS ON HUMANS 300 people were killed, according to Chile’s Office of Emergency Management Looting by desperate and hungry citizens Medical waste is hazardous Lack of electricity and water Buildings, cars, and homes destroyed

EFFECTS ON ENVIRONMENT Forest structure and function is disturbed Forests completely removed by landslides caused by the earthquake Soil movements and boulders damage trees Treefall due to vibration Medical waste is hazardous

EFFECTS ON ENVIRONMENT continued Loss of forest can increase danger of other natural disasters - Trees help buffer strong winds and their roots stabilize topsoil so the ground can absorb rain. Loose topsoil and too much rain can increase mudslides and flash floods. Fires and trenches Chemicals, waste, and trash damage the environment

EFFECTS ON ORGANISMS Disturbed/destroyed forests deny habitats, food, and resources to organisms Fires destroy habitats Ecosystems are disrupted as species are removed

PLANKTON

SHRIMP

FLAMINGO

LONG-TAILED FOX

Forest Fire

MATTER CYCLES ARE AFFECTED The earthquake has killed many trees – a lack of trees will result in too much carbon in the air, and not enough oxygen for respiration Too much carbon will increase global warming

EARTHQUAKE INDUCES TSUNAMI The government did not issue a national alert warning of the upcoming tsunami 120 miles of Chile’s coast was hit Water reached 60 ft Created waves in Japan and California

Tsunami reaches the coasts of Japan and California

THE TSUNAMI Waves increase sediment load which kill corals and sea grasses by smothering Chemical changes in salt water from raw sewage and decomposition of plants and animals Ecosystems disrupted as species are removed from the food chain Waves carry salt water onto the land, which kills trees and plants Waves pull toxic waste (chemicals, trash) back into the ocean, which affects coral reefs and fish populations

OTHER PROBLEMS FOR THE COUNTRY Copper production suffers (Chile is the world’s number 1 copper producer) In need of safe disposal for human/medical waste from makeshift tent hospitals Wine industry suffers (Annual wine output was about 320,000 metric tons in the 1990s) – there has been more than $500 million in damages

HELPING THE ISSUE $30 billion has been spent for reconstruction Food, water, temporary bridges, field hospitals, and more are sent from government and international aid agencies However, donations are lagging due to excessive aid for the earthquake in Haiti (January 2010) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon promised at least $10 million

SOLUTIONS Building codes require reinforced vertical columns with steel framing Reinforced concrete beams join columns to create earthquake-resistant floors and roofs, so buildings stay erect during earthquakes

SOLUTIONS CONTINUED Planting trees will help rebuild forests for habitats, and contribute to oxygen supplies for respiration while taking in carbon to avoid global warming Funding for building homes, buildings, bridges, roads, and parks Food, water, medical supplies

SOLUTIONS CONTINUED Bioremediation- introducing organisms to the ocean that can decompose, soak up, or eat waste in the water This can get the ecosystem back on track after the earthquake has disrupted it

SOURCES ""Earthquake in Chile"". Global Issues in Context Online Collection. Detroit: Gale, 2010. "CNN.com". CNN. May 26, 2010 <http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/02/27/chile.quake/index.html?iref=allsearch>. "AlertNet.org". Thomson Reuters Organization. May 26, 2010 <http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/photoalbum/1267442481.htm>.

SOURCES CONTINUED "findarticles.com". BNET. May 26, 2010 <http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2120/is_2_80/ai_54336627/>. "training.fema.gov". FEMA. May 26, 2010 <http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/IS8A/pdf/is8a-unit4.pdf>.