Leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Chile are actively assisting in relief efforts and determining how the LDS Church can be of most assistance in the wake of one of the most powerful earthquakes of the last century. With over half a million Latter-day Saints living in the country, the LDS Church has a substantial presence in Chile.
Local leaders and members began relief efforts shortly after the quake distributing food and water already located in Concepción. Early reports indicate that one LDS Church member has died (this is a correction from a previous report that stated three LDS Church members were presumed dead).
LDS Church leaders have identified that food, water, tents, blankets, hygiene kits and sleeping mats are needed to assist people in the affected region. Representatives of the LDS Church in Chile have been in contact with the country’s Interior Ministry to determine how the LDS Church can most appropriately assist in relief efforts. Emergency response personnel at LDS Church headquarters are poised to provide assistance as appropriate.
Leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Chile delivered six tons of food from local bishops’ storehouses to the city of Talca on 2 March to help meet needs in several cities north of Concepción. A second shipment of 20 tons of food is expected to reach Concepción on 3 March. Two additional shipments of food have been sent to affected areas to the south of Concepción.
“While any loss of life and destruction of great magnitude is a tragedy, we don’t anticipate that the situation in Chile will be nearly as devastating as what we’ve seen in Haiti,” said Lynn Samsel, director of emergency response for the LDS Church.
Most Latter-day Saint meetinghouses in Chile fared well in the quake, though many are filled with dust. At least three meetinghouses suffered extensive structural damage, and another was severely flooded. A house that also served as a meetinghouse was swept away in the tsunami triggered by the earthquake.
Contact has been made with all missionaries. All are reported safe and many are assisting in relief efforts. Missionaries who are unable to return to their apartments are staying with members or in meetinghouses. While communication has been somewhat unreliable for local Church leaders, they have had their best success communicating through text messages.
The epicenter of the magnitude 8.8 earthquake was located off the central coast of Chile, causing significant damage in the nearby cities of Santiago and Concepción.
The shaking lasted about three minutes, buckling highways and snapping utility lines. Transportation, communication and electrical power were severed across much of the country. Chilean officials have confirmed more than 720 people died in the earthquake, with more confirmed casualties expected in the coming days.
An estimated two million Chileans have been affected by the earthquake, with at least 500,000 homes sustaining considerable damage. Dozens of aftershocks, some registering as high as 6.9 on the Richter scale, continued to rattle the region over the weekend.
Those wishing to donate to the LDS Church Humanitarian Aid Fund can do so here. Resources from the LDS Church Humanitarian Aid Fund make it possible for the LDS Church to conduct humanitarian activities all over the world. One hundred percent of all contributions are used to help the needy.
Humanitarian Aid Fund
The generous donations by individuals, corporations, and foundations to the LDS Church’s Humanitarian Aid Fund make it possible for the LDS Church to conduct humanitarian activities all over the world. These activities bless the lives of millions of men, women, and children. One hundred percent of all contributions are used to help the needy—the LDS Church uses other funds to cover administrative expenses.
You can donate to the Humanitarian Aid Fund in several ways:
Through local units of the LDS Church. Donation slips are used for the collection of LDS Church contributions, including tithing and fast offerings, and can be obtained from a bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. On this donation slip, there is a category entitled “Humanitarian Aid.”
By mailing donations to:
Humanitarian Services
50 East North Temple Street, Floor 7
Salt Lake City, UT 84150-6890
Online through LDS Philantrophies. Should you desire your contribution to be used for a particular program, you may do so on this Web site. However, not indicating a particular program gives the LDS Church flexibility to use your contribution where it is most urgently needed.
ldsphilanthropies@ldschurch.org
