7.0 on the Richter scale. 8.8 on the Richter scale. These kinds of earthquake measures are not uncommon. The Pacific Rim counts all countries that embrace the Pacific Ocean, and these countries are known to be haunted by earthquakes and other natural disasters, following the movement of tectonic plates, volcano and under sea eruptions, etc. These disasters will happen, and no human being has the power to stop them - however sincere and dedicated the efforts may be. They generate world wide sympathy and a generous flow of relief funds. Because everyone knows that damages that are not self-inflicted can't be the cause of blame of those trapped by them. As nature will have it - there are limits to what human beings can be deemed responsible for.
For further information, please see:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tectonic_plates.png
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8540625.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/8540473.stm
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/02/28/chile.quake/index.html
For further information, please see:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tectonic_plates.png
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8540625.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/8540473.stm
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/02/28/chile.quake/index.html