Why Chile’s latest big earthquake has a smaller death toll

Source(s): New York Times, the

Chile, one of the most seismically active countries in the world, has been struck by three major earthquakes of magnitude 8 or greater in the past five years, reports the New York Times. The first, in February 2010, killed 525 people, including those who died in the tsunami it spawned. But only 11 people have so far been reported killed in the latest, which struck on Wednesday.

According to the article, the death toll for Chile's recent earthquake was much lower for several reasons. Not only did the earthquake affect a more focused area, but coastal residents were also better prepared this time round. The tsunami warnings also played a role in giving people enough time to get to safety, as did the fact that the government's emercency response system as much improved in comparison to the previous earthquake.

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