page_title: 2010 Pichilemu earthquake
section_title: Reaction
hierarchical_section_title: 2010 Pichilemu earthquake / Reaction
caption_attribution_description: Español: Sebastián Piñera asume como Presidente de Chile en solemne ceremonia en el Congreso Nacional
context_page_description: The 2010 Pichilemu earthquake, also known as the Libertador O'Higgins earthquake, was a 6.9 MW intraplate earthquake that struck Chile's O'Higgins Region on 11 March 2010. The earthquake was centred 15 kilometres northwest of the city of Pichilemu.
  The earthquake was caused by increased regional stress arising from an earthquake on 27 February, centered offshore Maule Region, which was felt throughout central Chile. The 11 March earthquake was at first thought to be an aftershock from the 27 February event, but University of Chile seismologist Jaime Campos identified it as an independent earthquake. The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center pointed out the possibility of local tsunamis within 100 kilometres of the epicentre, although small, but violent waves were seen in the Pichilemu and Bucalemu area. One person was reported dead. At least eleven aftershocks immediately followed, causing panic throughout coastal towns between the Coquimbo and Los Lagos regions.
  The earthquake was especially destructive in the epicentre town, Pichilemu, capital of Cardenal Caro Province.
context_section_description: The earthquake took place minutes before the new President of Chile, Sebastián Piñera, was sworn in, at about 12:15 local time, at the Chilean congress in Valparaíso, where the shaking was clearly felt. Piñera was at the Palace of Cerro Castillo at the time of the earthquake, and as he left the place, he was seen "looking worried"; Michelle Bachelet, the outgoing president, was also seen "worried" by the earthquake as she entered the Congress. La Nación newspaper reported some journalists attempted to flee the Congress building. According to Spanish newspaper El Mundo, there was "nervousness" at the ceremony, and the ceremony narrator called for calm, adding that the Congress building could even stand stronger earthquakes.
  Presidents Néstor Kirchner of Argentina, Evo Morales of Bolivia, Álvaro Uribe of Colombia, Rafael Correa of Ecuador, and Fernando Lugo of Paraguay were present at the ceremony, but television footage showed that the inauguration was not interrupted, even though there was a tsunami warning in place; however, it was reported the ceremony was concluded more quickly than planned.
  President Piñera cancelled the ceremonial lunch with his visitors and traveled to Rancagua, one of the cities most affected by the earthquake; Piñera subsequently declared a catastrophe state in O'Higgins Region as a result of the earthquake, and appointed Army General Antonio Yackcich as Area Commander in Chief (Jefe de Plaza) for the region, while he was visiting Rancagua that day. The declaration meant that "the military would occupy the area to keep order and prevent the kind of looting that occurred in Concepción during the first two to three days after last month's quake", according to The New York Times.
caption: The earthquake took place just minutes before President Sebastián Piñera was sworn in at the National Congress of Chile.
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