Tsunami alert issued in Chile after quakes
Friday, 12 March 2010
Authorities issued a tsunami alert for the Chilean coast Thursday after a 7.2 magnitude aftershock and two smaller ones rocked the country, the Chilean national emergency office said, reports AFP.
Meanwhile, rightwing billionaire businessman Sebastian Pinera was sworn in as the new president of Chile Thursday.
The ceremony took place in the city of Valparaiso, some 120 kilometers (80 miles) west of Santiago, though there were scenes of panic as onlookers were rocked by the aftershocks, including one measuring 7.2.
"I swear," said Pinera as he took the oath of office taking up the presidential reins from the leftwing Michelle Bachelet at the end of her single four-year term.
He now inherits the challenging task of rebuilding much of the centre of the country, destroyed by the 8.2-magnitude quake and deadly tsunami that struck the coast on February 27.
Meanwhile, rightwing billionaire businessman Sebastian Pinera was sworn in as the new president of Chile Thursday.
The ceremony took place in the city of Valparaiso, some 120 kilometers (80 miles) west of Santiago, though there were scenes of panic as onlookers were rocked by the aftershocks, including one measuring 7.2.
"I swear," said Pinera as he took the oath of office taking up the presidential reins from the leftwing Michelle Bachelet at the end of her single four-year term.
He now inherits the challenging task of rebuilding much of the centre of the country, destroyed by the 8.2-magnitude quake and deadly tsunami that struck the coast on February 27.