03-04-2010, 04:45 PM
There are a number of conditions that caused the damage and death toll in Haiti to be greater than that in Chile, despite the Chilean earthquake measuring about 500 times stronger than the Haitian earthquake.
In no particular order they include:
* Chile's quake was deeper and further from land.
* Chile is used to earthquakes. They had the largest measured earthquake in 1960 (9.5 Richter scale .. note that Frisco in 1906 was 7.8)
* Chile has better building codes
* Chile ENFORCES building codes
* Chile has a higher functioning government, emergency services, military, etc...
Note also that Chile has experienced aftershocks in the area that are generally larger than the initial Haitian earthquake.
In no particular order they include:
* Chile's quake was deeper and further from land.
* Chile is used to earthquakes. They had the largest measured earthquake in 1960 (9.5 Richter scale .. note that Frisco in 1906 was 7.8)
* Chile has better building codes
* Chile ENFORCES building codes
* Chile has a higher functioning government, emergency services, military, etc...
Note also that Chile has experienced aftershocks in the area that are generally larger than the initial Haitian earthquake.