Chileans Give in Record Numbers to Fill Quake-Relief Gaps

Chileans are donating and volunteering in unprecedented numbers to fill gaps in earthquake relief left by the government and international aid groups, reports Bloomberg.

Charities have been swamped with volunteers since the 8.8-magnitude quake struck February 27, killing 500 people and leaving some 2 million injured or displaced.

A weekend telethon raised $60-million, the biggest take in the organizing group’s 32-year history, and local networks have sprung up to deliver supplies and rebuild homes in areas not covered by the government’s “state of catastrophe” designation.