Sofia J's Blog

Chile's 4,000 mile long coastline makes it vulnerable to multiple coastal hazards, such as rising sea levels, coastal floods, and coastal erosion. As a result of climate change, Chile is expected to see a 55cm increase in sea level by 2100. This sea level rise can increase the risk of other coastal hazards, such as flooding.  Additionally, a few coastal storms have affected Chile in recent years. For instance, a 2015 coastal storm caused powerful waves to crash down onto Valparaiso Bay. The waves reached the buildings by the shore, causing damage to the coastal infrastructure.  Another coastal storm in 2024 brought heavy rains and flooding to much of Chile. The storm brought flooding to the coastal town of Vina del Mar, forcing 150 people to evacuate.  Chile is also affected by coastline erosion. A study of 45 beaches along Chile's coast revealed that 80% of those beaches have eroded. Storm surges have increased since 2015, which has led to the erosion of Chile's coastlin...

Chile experiences many forms of extreme weather, such as thunderstorms and heatwaves. In recent years though, droughts have presented a serious threat. Chile has been in a major drought for the last 15 years because rainfall amounts have been at historic lows. The World Resources Institute even ranked Chile as one of the most water stressed countries in the world.  At the end of 2021, over half of Chile's population was suffering from severe water scarcity. Rural areas were especially affected. Chileans had to rely on emergency tankers to bring them drinking water. Rural citizens and farmers also expressed the concern that they'll soon run out of drinking water for themselves and their farm animals. Below is an image of a water reservoir in Coquimbo as of March 2024, which has reached record breaking lows. Lakes across Chile have tried up as well. The Penuelas Lake, for example, once supplied water to almost 2 million people in the Valparaiso region, but is now almost completel...

 Mass wasting occurs when rocks, soil, or debris move downward. Landslides, mudslides, rock slides, and avalanches are some examples of mass wasting events. Mass wasting events don't necessarily need to have a trigger; just gravity can be the cause of one. Sometimes, heavy rainfall, flooding, or earthquakes can cause a mass wasting event.  Chile has experienced some mass wasting events before. Chile has over 1,250 rivers and rugged terrain, leaving it vulnerable to natural disasters such as mass wasting events.The map below shows that many places in Chile are at a high risk of a mass wasting event.  One example of a mass wasting event in Chile occurred in 2017. Chile suffered from a devastating mudslide in Villa Santa Lucia. Half the town was destroyed, and many people were killed. This mudslide was caused by heavy rainfall and a flooded river.  Mass wasting events can be devastating, as they can damage infastructure and even be life threatening. Although mass wastin...

Chile is on the South American and Nazca tectonic plates. As a result of this, Chile often has earthquakes. Such earthquakes can trigger volcanic eruptions. One sign that a volcano could erupt is if there are frequent earthquakes occurring in one area for an extended period of time.  Around 2,000 volcanoes are spread across the Andes Mountains in Chile. Of these 2,000 volcanoes, only about 36 of them are currently active. After Indonesia, Chile has the largest volcano chain in the world! Most of the volcanoes in Chile are stratovolcanoes. Below is a picture of the Villarrica Volcano, which last erupted in 2024. It is one of the most active volcanoes in Chile. Although its last major eruption was in 1985, it has since had many small eruptions that affected neighboring regions.  While most of the volcanoes in Chile are inactive, it is still vital to have a strong plan on what to do in case of an eruption. The Chilean National Disaster Prevention and Response Service provides cit...

Being on the Ring of Fire makes Chile very prone to earthquakes. The seismic map below shows where most earthquakes occur in Chile. The red zones along the coast is where the most severe earthquakes happen. Chile has experienced many severe earthquakes before. The largest recorded earthquake happened in May of 1960, and had a magnitude of 9.5. This occurred west of Temuco. The most recent earthquake with the largest magnitude of 8.3 happened in 2015 near Illapel. Chile has an average of 1,024 earthquakes per year. Most of the earthquakes in Chile are of smaller magnitudes, and severe earthquakes do not occur that frequently.                                                     Earthquakes in Chile have led to tsunamis and collapsing buildings. Unfortunately, as a result, hundreds of people lost their lives. Chile makes a strong effort to keep its citizens...

The map below shows how Chile lies on the South American Plate. The western part is bordered by the Nazca Plate and the southern part is bordered by the Antarctic Plate. This area is known as the Chile Triple Junction. Chile is also part of the Ring of Fire. The Ring of Fire is an area in which a lot of earthquakes occur and volcanoes erupt. Chile is on a convergent boundary, which is when two plates collide together. Chile is also a subduction zone; the Nazca Plate goes below the South American Plate during an earthquake.  Chile is very prone to earthquakes. The largest earthquake ever recorded (9.5 magnitude) happened in Chile. Such earthquakes also causes Chile to be prone to tsunamis. Volcanic eruptions also occur in Chile, as it has 43 volcanoes. The largest eruption to occur in Chile happened in 1949.                                         Sources:  https://ocea...