Israel Prepares Emergency Aid For Chile Quake Victims

Chloe Markowicz - Thursday 4th March 2010


A child in the Chilean city of Concepcion after the quake

Israel has offered medical and engineering aid to the Chilean government after a devastating earthquake struck the country, killing at least 795 people and rendering thousands homeless.

The earthquake that hit Chile early on Saturday morning was 500 times more powerful than the recent earthquake in Haiti.

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The Israeli army played a key role in providing volunteers and supplies to the decimated Caribbean state and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been closely following the situation in Chile to see what Israel can do to help. There is no call for the IDF to provide a field hospital, as it did in Haiti, because according to the Israeli Foreign Ministry there are already several field hospitals at work in the country.

Chile's president Michelle Bachelet labelled the earthquake the "biggest catastrophe in the country's history" and called for calm.

There are no reported casualties among the 16,000 members of Chile's Jewish community. Steve Schwager, chief executive of the American Joint Jewish Distribution Committee, said: "Ashkenazis and Sephardis make up Chile's diverse Jewish community. Most live in Santiago, with Jewish families also living in affected cities like concepcionand Valpariso-Vina. The community supports a JCC, two Jewish day schools and synagogues."

Marcelo Lewkow, national director of the Jewish charity World ORT in Chile, was alseep when the earthquake struck. His "bed moved so violently" that it shook him awake. Lewkow said: "Synagogues and schools are okay, pending a deeper evaluation by professionals, but there is no visible damage to the buildings or hydraulic systems."

Chaya Perman, co-director of Chabad-Lubavitch of Chile, said that the Chabad house in Santiago only suffered light damage and that their plans for Purim went ahead as scheduled. "Our hearts and prayers are with the victims of this horrible tragedy," Perman was reported as saying.

Paul Anticoni, CEO of World Jewish Relief, said the charity was continuing to
monitor the situation in Chile but was at present not seeking to respond with an emergency appeal. "Chile has a long history of being hit by major earthquakes, and as a result has invested in robust building stock and has a significant capability to respond to such disasters," Anticoni said. "The impact of Saturday's earthquake fortunately struck far away from major centres of population resulting in a lower loss of life."

The Chilean government had initially not called for international assistance but has more recently sought specialist support in key areas."

The Israeli Foreign Ministry has said that no Israelis are on the list of people who have been injured or killed, however there are around 20 Israelis in the region who have not yet contacted the embassy.

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