Earthquakes in Chile Vs Haiti

Today we had an interesting assignment, which was to blog about the earthquake in Chile. However, I added a twist to this assignment by comparing and contrasting the the earthquakes in Chile and Haiti.

Chile: The earthquake had a magnitude of 8.8 and was five hundred time more powerful than the one that recently occurred in Haiti.
* The earthquake was about 70 miles away from Chile's biggest city.
*The death toll in Chile was in the hundreds. However, 1.5 million people were displaced.
*Chile has a functioning government that enforces building codes.
* Chile was able to provide for itself.

Haiti: The earthquake had a magnitude of 7.0
*Haiti's earthquake was only 15 miles from the capital of Port-Au-Prince.
*Haiti did not have a functioning government that enforces building codes
* Haiti wasn't able to provide for itself since it is one of the poorest country in the world. Therefore, they relied on foreign aid.
* The death toll in Haiti was in the thousands.

Similarities between Haiti and Chile's earthquake:
* many lives were lost
*many damages was caused
* Both earthquakes magnitude were very strong
* They both had to go through a devastating experience that will always be with them.

Even though Chile had a sturdier earthquake I was very skeptical about the death toll because it was estimated that 700 people died. I utterly believed that there was going to be a greater amount of death because the magnitude of the earthquake was 8.8. Nevertheless, I then realize that Chile was prepared in away since it had more advances. For example, Chile had reoccurring earthquakes that helped them to be prepared. They had supplies to assist them when another earthquake came about. However, in Haiti they didn't have the advantage of having materials to support them.
I feel that Chile was very lucky because even though their earthquake was stronger than Haiti's they didn't have much deaths. It was unfair for Haiti because they had to go through more sorrow and pain. Besides, I also understand why they went through this terrifying experience. I truly hope that all the families in Haiti and Chile will hang in there and be content that they are lucky to be alive.

http://shilohmusings.blogspot.com/2010/02/haiti-earthquake-death-toll-versus.html
http://www.wtoctv.com/Global/story.asp?S=12064962
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/27/chile-haiti-earthquake-co_n_479705.html