COQUIMBO – Coquimbo, the northern coastal city that has been hammered by tsunamis in the past, will have the first tsunami-resilient building in Chile. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (MINVU) has announced the construction of a building often used in Japan. The building can withstand the breaking waves and flooding that follow an earthquake.
Of all the cities in Chile, Coquimbo has suffered the most from tsunamis. The city was spared during the 2010 earthquake, but the 2015 earthquake cause a tsunami that did significant damage.
As earthquakes and tsunamis are always an eventuality in Chile, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (MINVU) has announced the construction of the first building in Chile that will be able to withstand tsunamis.
Although buildings in Chile are constructed by law to be earthquake-proof, which means they should also be able to handle the force of a tsunami, it is the large amount of water that affects a building after a tsunami. One of the main characteristics of the building is that the first floor cannot be used for living.
The construction of the building, in the Baquedano neighborhood in Coquimbo, will start in the coming weeks. According to Minister Monckeberg, after this first project, more buildings in coastal towns in Chile are to follow.
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Editor-In-Chief Boris van der Spek is the founder of Chile Today.