Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Santiago (Agenzia Fides) – Two days after the earthquake which struck Chile, it seems that it is especially the south of the country that now has more serious difficulties. The cities of Curicó, Talca, Linares, Los Angeles and Concepción, which were among those most seriously affected in the country, continue to have problems for drinking water and electricity. Since the earthquake also caused a break down in telephone services, it is still difficult to establish the full extent of the damage in the regions of Bio Bio and Maule, near the epicentre. Recent information about the situation of the Salesian centres: at Talca there has been serious damage not only to the public church and sanctuary, but also to the buildings of the Educational Centre; while the damage to the school at Concepción, the city where the Archbishop is Salesian Ricardo Ezzati, is more serious than at first thought. So far, the authorities have confirmed the number of those dead throughout the country as about 800, with several thousand injured. The earthquake of 8.8 magnitude was the fifth strongest in the world since 1900 and the second most violent in Chile’s history. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 02/03/2010)
