Overseas Briefing

CONCEPCIÓN — While the earthquake in Haiti last Jan. received a flood of political, humanitarian and media attention for its catastrophic level of destruction, the incredible 8.8-magnitude earthquake a little over a month later in southern Chile went largely unnoticed by comparison, despite the fact that then-president Michele Bachelet was forced to declare a “state of catastrophe” due to the widespread damage experienced by much of the country.

I first arrived here in Concepción almost exactly on the six-month anniversary of the earthquake, and I was instantly struck by the lingering evidence of the physical damage of the earthquake, but also by the extent to which almost everything had been repaired and replaced enough to return it to functionality. Sidewalks are busted up and uneven. The walls of buildings are cracked and scarred where they faltered but never fell, a testament to the strict, California-like construction codes.

The University of Concepción still shows evidence as well, as even after more than six months, one of the main chemistry buildings remains little more than a burnt-out shell. Also, of the three bridges that used to connect Concepción to the neighboring towns across the Biobío River, only one is in working order (one collapsed completely during the earthquake), which makes for a rather nasty traffic scene during rush hour.

Concepción, however, is far from being the most affected area. Its sister city, the port of Talcahuano, just a couple miles away, is the picture of post-disaster depression. Whereas Concepción only experienced the shaking of the earthquake itself, Talcahuano also went through the ensuing tsunami, which obliterated almost everything anywhere near the harbor. The wrecks of various boats can be found well over 100 yards from the water, there are salt stains as high as the second story on many of the buildings and all of the waterfront shops and restaurants have been totally washed out or destroyed, and have been replaced by large tents where fishermen sell seafood and sea lions congregate at the base of the sea wall waiting for scraps.

Nevertheless, life goes on, and despite all the negative change, there is still a great deal of hope that things will return to normal sooner rather than later. Concepción is well into the rebuilding process, and the physical evidence, though slow to disappear, is almost all that remains as a reminder of what happened. Walls have been restored, windows have been replaced, and almost every morning I wake up to the sound of construction in the empty lot across the street. It is easy to see that the disaster no longer weighs as heavily on the people, and that normalcy is returning bit by bit.

In fact, one thing I have noticed is that almost everyone is eager to tell their personal story of experiencing the earthquake, and since I am a foreigner with no prior knowledge, they also like to explain how things used to look and how they have changed following the incident, especially since the entire country had been preparing to look its best for the fiestas patrias and bicentennial, which happened last weekend (Sep. 18). The earthquake may have knocked down a few of the party decorations, but even in the most affected zones, the excitement surrounding the buildup to the celebrations was visible everywhere, with a level of merriment that showed that the people have long since bounced back from any setbacks imposed by the earthquake. The Earth may have made itself felt (and continues to do so with tremors registering as high as 6.1), but it was not enough to slow down the resilient Chileans, who have long since gotten back on their feet.