Quakes Shake Chile One Year After Historic Natural Disaster

Almost a year after the Feb. 27, 2010 earthquake in Chile that killed more than 520 people, left 220,000 homeless and caused $30 billion in damages, residents in the South American nation have been forced to use self-survival skills again as another series of quakes struck this past week.

According to The Epoch Times, the Chilean region of Biobio has been hit with more than 100 earthquakes and aftershocks since Feb. 11, 2011. In the central region of Maule, four quakes measuring over 6 on the Richter scale have occurred since last week. As a result, many residents have been forced out of their homes, some train services have been suspended and power outages have been reported.

The deadly natural disaster that hit Chile last year was an 8.8-magnitude quake, and was the fifth-strongest in a century.

While California has been the State most susceptible to earthquakes in recent decades, geologists and seismologists have predicted that a major quake is likely to strike central United States between now and 2035, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The agency suggested that Americans should plan and practice an emergency procedure in the event of an earthquake.

The CDC states that individuals should get under a sturdy table or desk if they start to feel a significant rumbling or tremor under their feet. If people are not near a desk or table, they should find a strongly supported doorway or corner of the house that could protect them from falling debris.