The Chilean Prime Minister Michelle Bachelet along with her successor, and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon will meet today (Friday), with the U.N. chief being keen to give reassurance to the battered country which is currently trying to recover from a devastating earthquake. The earthquake has left hundreds dead, thousands injured and many people without homes.

Ban Ki-Moon will give Chile the U.N.’s support and a commitment to international aid. The U.N. office for the Coordination of Human Affairs has stressed that their main concerns must be the restoration of basic necessities such as food, water and electricity. The government of Chile has also requested specific help from the U.N. such as field hospitals, generators, satellite phones, field kitchens and mobile bridges, all of which are greatly needed.

The country is also trying to help itself with a telethon event organised called “Chile Helps Chile” to raise much needed funds. The man who will be taking over as Prime Minister of Chile, Sebastian Pinera has said, “Our government will be a government of reconstruction”. Many people however have complained about the slowness of the government assistance although more than 13,000 soldiers have been deployed to maintain order and aid packages have started to be distributed.

Ban Ki-Moon will also go to the city of Concepcion to see for himself just how badly the destruction is. Meanwhile Chile has announced 3 days of national mourning from this Sunday, when national flags will be hung from every home in memory of the dead.

Source: cnn.com