Chile earthquake: U.N. readies aid for Chile after receiving government request for help

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The United Nations says it will rush aid deliveries to Chile after the government asked for help in its recovery from this weekend’s massive earthquake.

U.N. humanitarian spokeswoman Elisabeth Byrs says Chile officially made its request Monday, two days after the 8.8-magnitude quake struck about 200 miles south of the capital, Santiago, and killed more than 700 people.

Byrs told the Associated Press that the global body was now ‘ready to take action.’ Before the request, international aid groups had sent some funds and experts. But their action was limited as Chilean officials were busy assessing the destruction from the earthquake and the needs of up to 2 million affected people.

-- Associated Press