Chile Quake 2010: How You Can Help

Aid organizations are stepping up efforts to provide relief to Chile, where as many as 2 million people have been displaced and at least 700 people are dead following Saturday's massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Conception. The South American country is no stranger to earthquakes, but with power and communication networks down, search and rescue has been a challenge, reports the New York Times.

Fears of tsunamis on the western coast of the United States and Hawaii were luckily unrealized, but it seems that the damage in Chile is worse than first projected. The quake was 64 times the magnitude of the one that hit Haiti on Jan. 12, but was deeper, striking 22 miles below the surface of the earth, according to ABC News, which led to predictions that the damage would be contained. However, while the number of injuries and deaths is far lower than the toll in Haiti, the country is still in great need of assistance.

International Aid Organizations Mobilize

Immediately following the quake, dozens of charities geared up to send aid. The Salvation Army in Chile was distributing food, water, first aid kits, emergency packets, blankets, candles and other urgently required supplies within hours. Oxfam deployed a team of water engineers and logisticians from Colombia to help assess the country's needs. Disaster relief charity ShelterBox said it's mobilizing an initial response team from Britain and the United States.

Save the Children launched an emergency appeal on its website for donations to the Children's Emergency Fund. The British Red Cross released 50,000 pounds ($76,000) from its disaster fund for Chile.

Habitat for Humanity, which says it has worked in Chile for the past 12 years, building more than 3,500 homes, made an emergency appeal to donors within hours of the quake. The organization says it has staff on the ground there with extensive training in disaster response and is ready to help those affected rebuild their homes and their lives. Those interested in helping Habitat can click here.

Doctors Without Borders, which is still very active in Haiti, is also deploying doctors to Chile. Go to www.DoctorsWithoutBorders.org to donate. Doctors Without Borders provides emergency medical care to survivors of all kinds of disasters, as described in our feature story from last month. You can also donate via phone by calling 1-888-392-0392.

Americares is also providing medical help, shelter, setting up medical clinics, and much more in Chile. To donate go to www.Americares.org.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC), which helps people traumatized by disasters and helps children continue educational opportunities after an earthquake could also use your help. To donate to the IRC go to www.TheIRC.org.

Locating Family & Friends

Americans concerned about family and friends in Chile can visit the State Department website a www.state.gov. US citizens can also can call the U.S. State Department number 888-407-4747 to register a name of a loved one.

Google is also helping people locate loved ones in Chile with their Person Finder. The online registry allows users to register the name of people they are looking for and those of people they have found. So far, the service has 25,800 records.

Text Donations

As in the case of the earthquake in Haiti, individuals can text donations to major aid organizations to help the relief and recovery effort in Chile. Just bear in mind that these donations generally take between 30 and 90 days to reach the organizations in question.

Salvation Army: Text CHILE to 52000 to give $10.

International Red Cross: Text CHILE to 90999 to give $10.

World Vision: Text CHILE to 20222 to give $10.

Flag photo by EcLiB, church photo by JanOSpixeles, letter photo by skyward apperence via Flickr.