An earthquake measuring 8.8 hit Chile in March 2010, just a few weeks after Haiti was hit by a 7.0 temblor. While the Haiti toll was more than 250,000, just 600 people died in Chile. The 2001 Bhuj quake of 7.7 magnitude claimed 20,000 lives, according to official figures. Though 9% of Chileans became homeless as their houses developed cracks, the toll remained low as the buildings didn’t collapse. The reason is Chile’s strict building codes. After a massive 9.5 earthquake in 1960 (the strongest ever recorded), the Chilean government developed a seismic design code for all new buildings. It was revised in 1993 to include advances in technology. The system that keeps Chile’s buildings standing firm is called the “strong columns, weak beams” system.
Times Of India, dt. 25th, September, 2011
