World | Michelle Bachelet Chile President : Quake Toll at 708 More than doubles the known dead By Newser Editors and Wire Services Posted Feb 28, 2010 1:03 PM CST Copied A man run away from tear gas, shot by police officers, during looting in Concepcion, Chile, Sunday, Feb. 28, 2010. A 8.8-magnitude earthquake hit Chile early Saturday. (Natacha Pisarenko) See 20 more photos President Michelle Bachelet says that Chile's earthquake killed at least 708 people—sharply increasing the known death toll from about 300. The president tells a news conference that the country faces "a catastrophe of such unthinkable magnitude that it will require a giant effort" for Chile to recover. The announcement came after a six-hour meeting with aides and emergency officials coping with yesterday's magnitude-8.8 quake. Read These Next The 8 Democrats who bucked party on shutdown have something in common. Porn studio is US' 'most prolific copyright plaintiff.' Hormone therapy for menopause was unfairly demonized, says the FDA. A city rule has turned recording exhaust into a lucrative side hustle. See 20 more photos Report an error