What’s the best way to describe how Chileans feel about earthquakes, tremors, and aftershocks? For those that live in the Northeast part of the United States, it would be best to compare earthquakes with blizzards.
Chileans are just as used to tremors (small shakes of the earth) as we are to snow storms. One doesn’t even think about them – they just happen. No big deal – life continues as normal. We would “feel” them on a weekly basis when we lived here in 2006 and 2007, but we would hear stories of the 1985 earthquake. (They say that there is at least 1 tremor somewhere in Chile each day.)
Then… every once in a great while, there is a major blizzard, like in 1977. Obviously, people took notice. There was much damage, life stopped, and suffering occurred. Back then, we were all afraid of the next storm. We took notice of the next few snow falls.
It’s the same way in Chile with earthquakes. Obviously, people took notice when the earthquake hit in February. And now, they continue to take notice of the aftershocks (which feel similar to the normal tremors that are always occurring).
I can’t imagine what the people feel and think as they sense the earth start to shake each time an aftershock occurs. It continues to be the main topic of conversation. We have heard story after story of the personal experiences of that event.
Thanks for your continued thoughts and prayers for the Chilean people!
