The Chile quake

The earthquake that struck Chile over the weekend was 500 times as powerful as the one that devastated Haiti nearly six weeks ago. Yet the death toll in Chile so far is less than 1,000, compared with an estimated 200,000 in Haiti.

The reason for the disparity is partly chance. The epicenter of the Chilean quake was deeper -- 22 miles under sea, compared to eight in Haiti -- and farther from population centers. In the Chile earthquake tectonic plates moved vertically, which typically causes less damage than horizontal plate shifts as that in the Haiti quake.

But much of the difference is also due to planning and preparation. Two of the 10 most powerful earthquakes on record have struck Chile, including one in 1960 that measured 9.5 in magnitude and sent a powerful tsunami that caused major damage and loss of life in Japan and Hawaii. Until January Haiti last experienced a major quake in 1842.

Keenly aware of the quake threat, Chile has strict building codes that are rigorously enforced. It is also prosperous enough to afford such measures and has a government intent on implementing its standards.

Haiti, sadly, is another story with lax or widely ignored building codes and a dysfunctional government.

The wisdom of Chile's policies is manifest in the relatively small death toll, considering the magnitude of the quake, which has left some 2 million Chileans homeless.

Chile will rebuild quickly and take into account the lessons of this quake, which surely will not be the last one it will experience.