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Chile Cans Official Who Blew Tsunami Alerts

Experts say lack of national warning led to deaths

By Will McCahill,  Newser Staff

Posted Mar 5, 2010 6:40 PM CST

(Newser) – The official whose agency failed to send out a nationwide tsunami alert following last Saturday’s earthquake was fired today by the Chilean government, the BBC reports. “An error in diagnosis” by Mariano Rojas and others in the naval oceanographic service resulted in many unnecessary deaths, experts say; Rojas is also accused of delivering “very unclear information” to President Michelle Bachelet in the first hours after the quake.

A view of the Chilean navy's damaged shipyard in Talcahuano today.
A view of the Chilean navy's damaged shipyard in Talcahuano today.   (AP Photo)
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More on today's aftershocks.   (CBC)

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 4 comments
JoeQ
Mar 6, 2010 4:21 PM CST
When you are in the very middle of an earthquake no news goes in or out. Most people don't have flashlights or drinking water let alone battery powered radios or TVs. In a big one the radio and TV stations get knocked out too, at least for a while. I'm not surprised at all by the chaos.
Derni
Mar 6, 2010 1:31 AM CST
Couod we firs the USA Senate for lack of work???
DontLikeYou___
Mar 6, 2010 12:44 AM CST
I wasn't aware that anyone in Chile died of a tsunami.
 

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