Natural Disasters in Chile

Nepal Earthquake 2015

• A 7.9 magnitude earthquake hit Nepal on April 25, 2015, caused by the subduction of the Indo-Australian plate beneath the Eurasian plate.
• The epicentre was around 80km away from Nepal's capital, Kathmandu, and originated only 15km below the surface.
• The earthquake triggered huge avalanches and landslides in the Himalayas.
• 9,000 people were killed, and 20,000 injured, with 8 million people affected (⅓ of Nepal's population).
• 3 million people were left homeless, and 7,000 schools were destroyed.
• 50% of all shops were destroyed, leading to food and supply shortages.
• Power, water, and communications were severely affected, with 1.4 million people urgently in need of food, water, and shelter.
• The cost of damage was estimated at around USD$5 billion.
• Many historical sites and landmarks were damaged or destroyed.

Secondary Effects of Nepal Earthquake

• Landslides and avalanches triggered by the ground shaking caused widespread damage to infrastructure.
• The avalanches on Mount Everest killed at least 19 people, and landslides blocked rivers.
• A landslide blocked the Kali Gandaki River, and many people had to be evacuated in case of flooding.

Chile Earthquake 2010

• A massive earthquake measuring 8.8 on the Richter scale struck off the coast of Chile on February 27, 2010, lasting for over three minutes.
• The earthquake occurred on a destructive plate margin, where the Nazca plate subducts beneath the South American plate.
• Around 500 people were killed, and 12,000 injured, with 800,000 people affected.
• Many buildings were destroyed, including 22,000 homes, 4,500 schools, 53 ports, and 56 hospitals.
• The Santiago airport was also badly damaged.
• Water, electricity, and communications were lost in many places, with an estimated cost of USD$30 billion.

Secondary Effects of Chile Earthquake

• Landslides triggered by the earthquake damaged 1500km of roads.
• Debris blocked roads for weeks, which cut off rural communities and slowed relief efforts.
• A tsunami was triggered by the earthquake, which devastated coastal towns and destroyed ports.
• Fires broke out in buildings due to burst pipes and other complications.

Chile and Nepal's Contrasting Levels of Wealth

• Chile has a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 298.2 billion USD, ranking 38th in the world.
• Nepal has a GDP of 29.04 billion USD, ranking 109th in the world.
• Chile has a Human Development Index (HDI) ranking of 41st in the world, while Nepal ranks 145th.
• GDP measures the total wealth of a country, while HDI measures the development of a country.

This quiz is about various natural disasters that occurred in Chile, including a fire in a chemical plant, a landslide, and a tsunami. Test your knowledge about these disasters and their impact.