Chilean security authorities are cracking down on looters today, as victims of the weekends enormous quake near Concepcion wait for food and supplies to be delivered to them. A massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake had struck Chile on Saturday morning, killing over 700 people and destroying a half-million homes countrywide.
The grounds of Concepcion began shaking at 3:34 a.m. on Saturday lasting just 90 seconds, but caused widespread damage. 500 kilometres north of Concepcion, in the Chilean capital of Santiago, bridges and buildings were damaged.

Nathan Crooks was sleeping in his Santiago apartment when the earthquake began. "The entire building started to shake followed by an incredible noise outside sounding like a freight train," he told CTV News Channel by telephone this morning. "Approximately halfway through the earthquake, all power to the city was cut off and it was dark and it continued to shake. Things began falling and this went on for a very long time. We've experienced many earthquakes in Chile, but this one in particular was extremely strong and went on for what seemed like forever." "Buildings shook in Argentina, although you could feel the rumbling effects as far away as Sao Paolo, Brazil which is 3,000 kilometres away."

Repeated aftershocks caused further damage forcing people into the streets throughout the weekend. "If you're inside the house, the furniture moves," said one resident. "Crooks said the dozens of aftershocks following the quake have decreased in comparison to that of the rumblings that hit early Saturday morning."I don't notice them as much any more, you sort of hear the walls inside your house begin to creak a little, but the aftershocks are nothing when you compare it to the actual quake," he said. The quake also caused monstrous waves that struck many coastal towns and Robinson Cruse Island lashing nearly three kilometres inland in the town of San Juan Bautista. Authorities say five people were killed and many suffered injuries.