CARICOM Secretary-General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque has sent a message of condolence to the President of Chile, Her Excellency Michelle Bachelet for the loss of life and destruction of property from the earthquake which hit the country on 16 September.

The Secretary-General said the Caribbean Community is thankful that due in large measure to the level of preparedness, casualties were limited in number despite the strength of the earthquake.

The 8.3 magnitude quake left at least 11 people dead and forced more than  a million people living along the coastline to evacuate their homes after the quake triggered a tsunami.

Chileans are a resolute and determined people who will rise and overcome this challenge and rebuild their lives, and the areas devastated by this natural disaster, the Secretary-General said.

“The Caribbean Community stands in support of the people of Chile at this time,” he added.

Full message:

The Caribbean Community expresses its deep sympathy with the Government and People of Chile in respect of the loss of life and destruction of property as a result of the Earthquake of 16 September.

The Community is thankful that due in large measure to the level of preparedness, casualties were limited in number despite the strength of the Earthquake. The Government of Chile must be commended for being a global leader in disaster preparedness and response.  The people of Chile must also be commended for their adherence to the regulations and procedures established which mitigated the effects of this disaster.

Chileans are a resolute and determined people who will rise and overcome this challenge and rebuild their lives, and the areas devastated by this natural disaster.  The Caribbean Community stands in support of the people of Chile at this time.

We offer our condolences to the bereaved families and wish a speedy recovery to the injured and hope that the rebuilding process will restore the affected areas in a relatively short time.