EARTHQUAKE IN CHILE

An extract from the book 'Sweet Waters'

The famous earthquake of 1906 had stuck this part of Chile with devestating force killing thousands of people in Santiago, some fifty miles away, and turning the city into a mass of rubble. On the farm no lives had been lost, but buildings and houses suffered severely. Everyone was very earthquake-conscious.

They were classed in two categories : the 'Tremblor' or tremor, and the 'Terramoto' or earth render. They seemed to be cumulative, for a slight on eevery six weeks or so gave us confidence, but as we grew wiser we became more alert than ever if the periods between them extended to some months.

We experienced our first one shortly after our arrival ; our feelings were not unlike those we were to enjoy later in air raids during Hitlers war. To begin with. full of fools' confidence, we rather looked down on the locals who were frankly terrified of them, but as soon as we realized what they were capapble of doing, we treated them with great respect. Familiarity bred no contempt whatever , and our ears would prick to listen to that first unmistakable sound.

In this part of Chile earthquakes were progressive in their action. First a rapidly approaching rumble like the sound of a half-loaded heavy lorry bounding along a rough road ; then a slight shake followed by a pause. Another big shake would follow ; during which eyes were riveted on the movement of water in a bowl of flowers, or pictures on a wall. Pause and shake continued, reaching a climax and then subsiding at the same tempo, during which everyone sat in a sprinting position ready to make for the safety of open country in a split second of time.

Once and once only did I actually see an earthquake, when Marie and I were riding through a dried-off field, bare of grass. I had dismounted to fix a spur and as I knelt to adjust it I heard that ominous rumble, and looking towards the sound, at that low-level I saw a wave coming at me across the field, just as one travels over the surface of the sea. About one foot in height, it advanced and passed me at great speed, throwing me off balance, while both horses stood with their legs slayed out like milking stools to keep their feet. It was a most alarming experience, I was very frightened indeed. I am very glad I never saw another one ; I can feel my hair rising as I write of it.

To show what a lifetime in an earthquake country can do I must tell of an aged relative of my uncle's who had never left her bed in the house for more than eighteen months. One afternoon a particularly vicious quake arrived with far less build-up than usual. The old lady, with several years of experience behind her, leapt from her bed, vaulted through the open window and headed the rush for open country and safety. Only when it was all over did she collapse and have to be carried back to bed.