Another major earthquake has hit a hemispheric neighbor and the U.S. is standing by to offer assistance. President Obama released an official statement of support to the people of Chile and took to the White House lawn to offer the following remarks:
From what I can tell, Chile will probably not ask for U.S. assistance in dealing with the aftermath of this massive earthquake. Situated near a major fault along the Pacific “ring of fire” Chile has experience dealing with earthquakes and their emergency responders are professional and well-equipped. Unlike Haiti, their building codes have been revised over the years to make structures stronger and more quake resistant. Even if U.S. assistance is not officially requested, I’m sure many of our national and local humanitarian aid groups will spring into action and help out as they are able.
