Chile Earthquake Relief Update

The American Red Cross stands ready to mobilize additional support including relief supplies, trained personnel and additional financial assistance following Saturday's 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Chile.

• The Chilean Red Cross is mobilizing its volunteers to distribute food, hygiene articles and blankets to survivors. It is also providing mental health support to the affected people. It has also called upon Chileans to donate blood in order to keep up with demand from hospitals.
• A five member regional Red Cross team of disaster experts is in Chile to provide technical support to Chilean Red Cross response activities, including damage assessment, health, relief and information management.
• The global Red Cross network has issued a response plan that will provide relief supplies, emergency shelter, basic health care, and water and sanitation for 15,000 families.

• Chilean officials report that more than 2 million people have been affected by the earthquake, 500,000 homes have been seriously damaged and approximately 1.5 million houses may have sustained damage. It is believed that adobe structures and indigenous populations were among the worst affected.
• Communications and electricity are progressively being restored in Santiago but still remains out in the hardest hit areas, which is hampering relief operations. This has also significantly affected hospitals and health centers especially in the cities of Concepcion, Talca and Curico where many hospitals are unable to function. The government will install field hospitals and will launch a health campaign.
• In Santiago, the country's capital, the international airport is operational. Major ports have also been damaged and bridges connecting the central regions of the country have collapsed limiting access to the affected regions.
• The International Committee of the Red Cross has launched a Family Links Website aimed at helping people in Chile and abroad to register the names of relatives with whom they wish to restore contact. People seeking news from their loved ones can register directly on the site at: www.icrc.org/familylinks
• People can donate in support of the relief effort in Chile by mailing a check to the American Red Cross of Greater Indianapolis, 441 E. 10th St., Indianapolis, IN 46202-3388, online at www.indyredcross.org/donate or by phone at 317-684-1441. Mobile donors can text "Chile" to 90999 to make a $10 contribution.