Aftershock measuring 7.2 shakes Chile during inauguration
By The Associated Press
This article was published March 11, 2010 at 11:22 a.m.
PHOTO BY AP / FERNANDO VERGARA
People walk up a hill following a 7,2-magnitude aftershock in Constitucion, Chile, Thursday.
SANTIAGO, Chile — At least three major aftershocks rocked central Chile on Thursday, striking minutes before its president-elect was sworn into office to take charge of a country still reeling from a devastating earthquake nearly two weeks ago.
Chile’s Navy rapidly issued a tsunami alert, and Chilean television carried reports of residents of coastal areas fleeing for higher ground. There were no immediate reports of damage, but in the capital of Santiago, 95 miles north of the epicenters, windows rattled, buildings trembled and cell phone service went down.
In the coastal city of Valparaiso, about 90 miles from the site of Thursday’s earthquakes, dignitaries who gathered for the inauguration of President Sebastian Pinera made nervous jokes glanced at the shuddering ceiling of the congressional building as the quakes hit, according to news reports.
Pinera, however, showed no sign of acknowledging the tremors, and continued to shake hands with leaders and supporters before taking the oath of office.
The aftershocks measured 7.2, 6.9 and 6.0, respectively.
The U.S. Geological Survey also reported that two other tremors with magnitudes of about 5.0 magnitude hit central and southern Chile earlier on Thursday.
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