ADRA part of relief efforts following earthquake in Chile

April 07, 2014 – Silver Spring, Maryland, United States…South American Division/ANN staff

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.

Residents whose homes were damaged in last week’s powerful earthquake take shelter in tents at a makeshift camp outside Alto Hospicio, Chile. Image courtesy ADRA Chile

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.