A quake in Chile
02/04/14 05:43
The people of the northern coastal regions of Chile are no strangers to earthquakes. In 1960, a massive 9.5 trembler, the strongest earthquake ever recorded, shook the region. Over 5,000 people lost their lives in that quake. In 2010, there was a magnitude 8.8 quake that caused a tsunami and caused extensive damage. More than 500 people died. Small earthquakes are common. Hundreds of quakes have shaken Chile’s far-northern coast in the past two weeks. Almost everyone living in the area has felt the earth shake and knows what to do. Evacuation plans are carefully rehearsed on a regular basis.
Last night’s quake, however, was no ordinary event. About 15 minutes before 9 pm the rumbles began in Iquique Province. The shaking increased and lasted for more than half a minute. The quake registered 8.2 and when the shaking stopped people knew that the worst may be yet to come. Sirens wailed, people spilled outside of buildings. But there was fear in the midst of the organized evacuations - everyone knew that a tsunami might follow the quake. Tsunami warnings were issued for the entire west coast of South America and much of Central America as well. It has only been three years since the massive earthquake and tsunami claimed nary 16,000 lives in Fukushima, Japan. The 2004 Sumatra tsunami killed 230,000.
As the day beings this morning, however, it appears that the worst did not come to pass. Although the coast was pounded by waves over 6 feet high, there was nothing like the massive tsunami that is possible following such an event. Miraculously, there are only 5 confirmed fatalities so far. The news coverage from BBC and other sources shows thousands of people out in the streets. Nearly everyone is talking on a cell phone. One assumes that at least the basic communications system is continuing to operate allowing people to get in touch with loved ones to inform them that they are safe and share their survivor stories.
There were a couple of fires, but they have been extinguished. Evacuated people have gathered in the local soccer stadium. Others are in the open area before the Hospital del Salvador. Blankets have been unfolded and people have gotten through the first night. With communications systems and well-laid plans in place, the government responded quickly. Troops have been dispatched to keep the peace, Hospitals and nursing homes that needed to be evacuated had plans in place for the care of patients. People are remarkably calm on the morning afterward as authorities continue to assess damage. Mudslides triggered by the quake have blocked some roads and some rural areas continue to be isolated. For now it appears that the massive loss of life which might have occurred did not. The combination of well-laid plans and more than a small amount of luck has left the region shaken but feeling very fortunate.
The coastal regions of South America are home to ancient civilizations. People have been living in those areas for more than 7,000 years. People began to congregate in cities because of the resources that were available. The weather along the coast line is less harsh than was the case in the high mountains. There are abundant resources and plentiful seafood available in the ocean. The coastal regions appear to be good places for cities.
When it comes to earthquakes, however, Chile is one of the most volatile places on the planet. The really big ones will continue to occur. This one appears to not have turned out to be a disaster, but it was a dramatic display of the power of nature and the possibility of massive natural disaster.
The world will be watching Chile for a few days, but it won’t take long for our attention to be diverted. The public is easily bored and media are quick to move on to the next event.
Recovery operations are on-going following the massive mudslide in Washington State. Geologists have warned that the area was prone to such events and there are likely to be plenty of fingers pointed before the cleanup is complete.
Although the season isn’t proving to be as devastating as some in recent years, wildfires remain a constant threat in parts of Australia.
The cleanup from November’s Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines is nowhere near finished. It was the most powerful storm of 2013, and one of the most powerful storms ever recorded. And experts warn that the Philippines and Manilla in particular are in grave danger from future storms. There are a lot of people in the path where future storms are likely to develop.
And experts are predicting another early and severe tornado season for parts of the United States this year.
As the population of the planet increases, the potential for more massive loss of life from natural disasters continues to grow.
The ancients were quick to come up with theological explanations for natural disasters. It was obvious to them that there are forces in this world that are beyond the power of humans to control. While their interpretations of the nature of God may be different from ours, they understood that the power of God is far greater than that of mortal human beings.
In our time we prefer scientific explanations. We’ve become very adept at observing and describing some of the great forces of the universe. We can measure and record the strength of earthquakes. We can track the paths of storms and in many cases provide accurate short term forecasts. We can predict the likelihood of certain natural disasters. The scientific perspective is helpful and gives us a framework to understand. Still, it is clear that there is far more that we do not understand than what we can explain.
Some relegate God to the areas that we cannot understand. This so-called “God of the Gaps” is a common, though I believe misplaced, theological understanding. Areas we can explain are the realm of science. Things we don’t understand are the realm of God. There are many problems with this way of looking at the world, not the least of which is that it creates a perception that the realm of God continues to shrink as we become more adept at scientific description and explanation.
The truth is that God is at work in areas that we understand and are able to explain as well as those that are beyond our comprehension.
I see God’s work in Chile this morning and one of my morning prayers is a prayer of thanksgiving for all of the survivors and the relatively small amount of damage in such a large geophysical event.
Last night’s quake, however, was no ordinary event. About 15 minutes before 9 pm the rumbles began in Iquique Province. The shaking increased and lasted for more than half a minute. The quake registered 8.2 and when the shaking stopped people knew that the worst may be yet to come. Sirens wailed, people spilled outside of buildings. But there was fear in the midst of the organized evacuations - everyone knew that a tsunami might follow the quake. Tsunami warnings were issued for the entire west coast of South America and much of Central America as well. It has only been three years since the massive earthquake and tsunami claimed nary 16,000 lives in Fukushima, Japan. The 2004 Sumatra tsunami killed 230,000.
As the day beings this morning, however, it appears that the worst did not come to pass. Although the coast was pounded by waves over 6 feet high, there was nothing like the massive tsunami that is possible following such an event. Miraculously, there are only 5 confirmed fatalities so far. The news coverage from BBC and other sources shows thousands of people out in the streets. Nearly everyone is talking on a cell phone. One assumes that at least the basic communications system is continuing to operate allowing people to get in touch with loved ones to inform them that they are safe and share their survivor stories.
There were a couple of fires, but they have been extinguished. Evacuated people have gathered in the local soccer stadium. Others are in the open area before the Hospital del Salvador. Blankets have been unfolded and people have gotten through the first night. With communications systems and well-laid plans in place, the government responded quickly. Troops have been dispatched to keep the peace, Hospitals and nursing homes that needed to be evacuated had plans in place for the care of patients. People are remarkably calm on the morning afterward as authorities continue to assess damage. Mudslides triggered by the quake have blocked some roads and some rural areas continue to be isolated. For now it appears that the massive loss of life which might have occurred did not. The combination of well-laid plans and more than a small amount of luck has left the region shaken but feeling very fortunate.
The coastal regions of South America are home to ancient civilizations. People have been living in those areas for more than 7,000 years. People began to congregate in cities because of the resources that were available. The weather along the coast line is less harsh than was the case in the high mountains. There are abundant resources and plentiful seafood available in the ocean. The coastal regions appear to be good places for cities.
When it comes to earthquakes, however, Chile is one of the most volatile places on the planet. The really big ones will continue to occur. This one appears to not have turned out to be a disaster, but it was a dramatic display of the power of nature and the possibility of massive natural disaster.
The world will be watching Chile for a few days, but it won’t take long for our attention to be diverted. The public is easily bored and media are quick to move on to the next event.
Recovery operations are on-going following the massive mudslide in Washington State. Geologists have warned that the area was prone to such events and there are likely to be plenty of fingers pointed before the cleanup is complete.
Although the season isn’t proving to be as devastating as some in recent years, wildfires remain a constant threat in parts of Australia.
The cleanup from November’s Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines is nowhere near finished. It was the most powerful storm of 2013, and one of the most powerful storms ever recorded. And experts warn that the Philippines and Manilla in particular are in grave danger from future storms. There are a lot of people in the path where future storms are likely to develop.
And experts are predicting another early and severe tornado season for parts of the United States this year.
As the population of the planet increases, the potential for more massive loss of life from natural disasters continues to grow.
The ancients were quick to come up with theological explanations for natural disasters. It was obvious to them that there are forces in this world that are beyond the power of humans to control. While their interpretations of the nature of God may be different from ours, they understood that the power of God is far greater than that of mortal human beings.
In our time we prefer scientific explanations. We’ve become very adept at observing and describing some of the great forces of the universe. We can measure and record the strength of earthquakes. We can track the paths of storms and in many cases provide accurate short term forecasts. We can predict the likelihood of certain natural disasters. The scientific perspective is helpful and gives us a framework to understand. Still, it is clear that there is far more that we do not understand than what we can explain.
Some relegate God to the areas that we cannot understand. This so-called “God of the Gaps” is a common, though I believe misplaced, theological understanding. Areas we can explain are the realm of science. Things we don’t understand are the realm of God. There are many problems with this way of looking at the world, not the least of which is that it creates a perception that the realm of God continues to shrink as we become more adept at scientific description and explanation.
The truth is that God is at work in areas that we understand and are able to explain as well as those that are beyond our comprehension.
I see God’s work in Chile this morning and one of my morning prayers is a prayer of thanksgiving for all of the survivors and the relatively small amount of damage in such a large geophysical event.