PHOTOS, PAGE 1

       Editor and prime reporter is Doug Terry, a veteran television and radio reporter in   Washington, DC, (details below)

There was a massive, 8.8 earthquake in Santiago, Chile overnight. The scenes being transmitted live by television in Chile are vastly different than those in Haiti, which does not change the fact that this is a serious, major event with loss of life and long term disruption. The official death toll at this moment (10:06 AM, US, eastern) stands at just over 80. It seems likely that more than twice that many, at least, were killed.

Here are some bullet points in regard to what the TerryReport has learned from Chile television:

1. A major elevated northbound freeway collapsed, crushing cars underneath it and causing numerous cars to fly off the end of the collapsed sections. As with the San Francisco earthquake of 1989, some cars were able to stop before going over the end.

2. There appeared to be no major buildings, such as high rises, which have fallen down. There are many buildings in a partial state of collapse. Many more with windows out and serious damage.

3. One city street was shown where a building appeared to have toppled onto the street and, up and down the area, there was a huge amount of debris scattered across the road way. This was one location where the damage seemed to be somewhat similar in scale to Haiti.

4. A large grain storage complex was shown in partial collapse with grain having poured onto a nearby street.

5. An entire row of recently built, modern low rise apartment style housing was seen leaning forward, as if it were about to collapse into the street.

6. Over all, this appears to be a very bad, serious earthquake. It will take all of today and probably tomorrow as well for full assessments of the damage to be made. There was a mention of several islands that might have been affected, with no immediate reports one way or another as to whether they were hit by the earthquake.

It is important to remember that Chile is largely a modern country with infrastructure  reflecting a vigorous economy and an awareness of the earthquake zone in which the nation sits. In Haiti in some areas, all of the buildings either fell down completely or partially, killing tens of thousands. That does not appear to be the case in Chile, but this is a major destructive event just the same.

It is impossible to assess at this time how much need there might be for urban search and rescue teams in Chile. At the collapsed freeway, the cars underneath it appeared to be completely and hopelessly crushed. However, Chile television said there were eight trapped. Most of the buildings shown in the live reports were still standing in whole or in part, meaning that it was possible to get out or be taken out by local firefighters.

2.27.10

HERE IS THE LINK TO LIVE TELEVISION FROM CHILE

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/tv-de-chile?hpid=topnews

NOTE: The NY Times is reporting an 8.8 earthquake, Chile television 8.5. First reports in the middle of the night had it at 8.2

The airport at Santiago is closed for at least 24 hours. No details yet on the amount of damage there.

CONTACT THE TERRYREPORT

       HOME PAGE

end