12yo girl warned of giant wave in Juan Fernández and avoided a bigger tragedy

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

Source: La Tercera, Chile

En el archipiélago de Juan Fernández, el terremoto de 8,8 grados en la escala de Richter que afectó la zona centro-sur de Chile se sintió sólo como un leve temblor. Al menos así lo percibió Martina Maturana, de doce años, hija de un Carabinero destacado en la Isla de Robinson Crusoe.

Sin embargo, luego de notar que algo extraño había ocurrido, le avisó a su padre, quien además de tranquilizarla, llamó al continente para recabar datos sobre el posible sismo. Martina, al escuchar que su abuelo, residente en Valparaíso, confirmaba la tragedia que a esas horas se desataba en Chile, miró por la ventana y observó que los botes de la bahía saltaban y chocaban entre sí.

Entonces corrió a la plaza del pueblo y tocó el bong instalado en el centro del parque. Sin saber el código de emergencias estipulado entre las autoridades de la isla -dos para incendios, tres para derrumbes- despertó a varios lugareños de la isla, quienes también comenzaron a tocar campanas y a huir hacia las alturas. Minutos después, el maremoto destruyó la caleta. Gracias a la pericia de Martina, el tsunami que desvastó Juan Fernández no produjo más víctimas.

Read more: http://diario.latercera.com/2010/03/01/01/contenido/9_25306_9.html

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Rough translation: The girl saw boats rocking madly in the sea, ran to the city square and rang the bell alarm.

Didn't a 10yo girl also save lots of lives in the Indonesia tsunami in that exact same fashion?

[EFerrari]

1. Great story. K&R

[Gman]

2. For the Spanish challenged

In the archipelago of Juan Fernandez, an earthquake of 8.8 degrees on the Richter scale that struck the central-southern Chile was felt only as a slight tremor. At least I saw Martina Maturana, twelve-year-old daughter of a policeman stationed in the island of Robinson Crusoe.

However, after noticing that something strange had happened, he told his father, who in addition to reassure her, called to the continent to collect data on the possible earthquake. Martina, on hearing that his grandfather, who lives in Valparaiso, confirmed the tragedy that was raging at that time in Chile, looked out the window and watched the boats in the bay leaped and struck each other.

Then she ran to the town square and hit the bong installed in the center of the park. Without knowing the emergency code stipulated between the authorities of the island fires two for three for landslides, attracted several villagers on the island, who also began playing bells and fly upward. Minutes later, the tsunami destroyed the cache. Thanks to the expertise of Martina, the tsunami that devastate Juan Fernandez did not produce more victims.

http://translate.google.com/translate_t?hl=&ie=UTF-8&text=En+el+archipi%C3%A9lago+de+Juan+Fern%C3%A1ndez%2C+el+terremoto+de+8%2C8+grados+en+la+escala+de+Richter+que+afect%C3%B3+la+zona+centro-sur+de+Chile+se+sinti%C3%B3+s%C3%B3lo+como+un+leve+temblor.+Al+menos+as%C3%AD+lo+percibi%C3%B3+Martina+Maturana%2C+de+doce+a%C3%B1os%2C+hija+de+un+Carabinero+destacado+en+la+Isla+de+Robinson+Crusoe.%0D%0A%0D%0ASin+embargo%2C+luego+de+notar+que+algo+extra%C3%B1o+hab%C3%ADa+ocurrido%2C+le+avis%C3%B3+a+su+padre%2C+quien+adem%C3%A1s+de+tranquilizarla%2C+llam%C3%B3+al+continente+para+recabar+datos+sobre+el+posible+sismo.+Martina%2C+al+escuchar+que+su+abuelo%2C+residente+en+Valpara%C3%ADso%2C+confirmaba+la+tragedia+que+a+esas+horas+se+desataba+en+Chile%2C+mir%C3%B3+por+la+ventana+y+observ%C3%B3+que+los+botes+de+la+bah%C3%ADa+saltaban+y+chocaban+entre+s%C3%AD.%0D%0A%0D%0AEntonces+corri%C3%B3+a+la+plaza+del+pueblo+y+toc%C3%B3+el+bong+instalado+en+el+centro+del+parque.+Sin+saber+el+c%C3%B3digo+de+emergencias+estipulado+entre+las+autoridades+de+la+isla+-dos+para+incendios%2C+tres+para+derrumbes-+despert%C3%B3+a+varios+lugare%C3%B1os+de+la+isla%2C+quienes+tambi%C3%A9n+comenzaron+a+tocar+campanas+y+a+huir+hacia+las+alturas.+Minutos+despu%C3%A9s%2C+el+maremoto+destruy%C3%B3+la+caleta.+Gracias+a+la+pericia+de+Martina%2C+el+tsunami+que+desvast%C3%B3+Juan+Fern%C3%A1ndez+no+produjo+m%C3%A1s+v%C3%ADctimas.&sl=es&tl=en#

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

3. "Then she ran to the town square and hit the bong"

:rofl:

AI translators are a never-ending source of fun, ain't they?

[druidity33]

5. i confuse bells and bongs all the time...

:)

[Soylent Brice]

6. that's how my roommate used to warn me when someone was breaking into our apartment.

well, the living room, not the town square, but it very well could've been considered that back in the day.

how ironic.

[rhett o rick]

7. You mean he "hit the bong"? nt

[Soylent Brice]

21. yes. he was useless. picture Floyd (Dick's Roommate) in True Romance. n/t

[Gormy Cuss]

9. I don't think hitting a bong is a good thing to do right before running for your life.

:smoke:


eta: I hope the girl is praised highly for her swift actions.

[louis-t]

12. "Playing bells and fly upward."

After hitting the bong?

[Fla Dem]

13. That explains why the villagers began ringing bells and flying upward. lol n/t

[Ikonoklast]

16. "She then ran to the local grocery store and saved all the Doritos."

"Unfortunately, the Twinkies were lost in the disaster, to much consternation."

[Enrique]

17. they have bongs installed in their parks!

:rofl:

[druidity33]

4. ah, google translations...

"Then she ran to the town square and hit the bong installed in the center of the park."



heh, heh... heh..



:)

[freeplessinseattle]

20. hey, gotta steady your nerves

probably be my first instinct. I wonder if the city park bong is from a local artist installation-maybe we could get a Chihuly one in these parts.

[Dogmudgeon]

10. Hit the Bong and Bite the Wax Tadpole, Baby!

I love computer translation.

--d!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brand_blunder">Bite The Wax Tadpole -- almost

[PaulaFarrell]

11. That is challenged spanish

how about this:

In the archipelogo of Juan Fernandez, the earthquake of 8.8 degrees on the Richter scale which affected the central-south zone of Chile was felt only as a light tremor. At least that was how it seemed to Martina Maturana, 12 years old, daughter of a policeman stationed on the Isle of Robinson Crusoe.

Still, after noticing that something odd had occurred, she warned her father, who in addition to calming her, called the mainland to get information about a possible earthquake. Martina, on hearing that her grandfather, a resident of Valpariaso, had confirmed the tragedy which in those hours devastated Chile, looked through the window and observed the boats in the bay rising and crashing together.

Then, she ran to the town plaza and rang the bell installed in the center of trhe park. Without knowing the emergency code agreed between the authorities of the island - two for fire, three for landslides - she aroused various locals on the island, who also began to ring bells and to flee to higher ground. Minutes later, the tidal wave destroyed the cove. Thanks to the perceptiveness of Martina, the tsunami that devastated Juan Fernandez did not produce more victims.

(apologies to native speakers)

[Bigmack]

14. Well Done!

Muchas Gracias

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. There was a schoolgirl in Thailand who remembered her geography lesson

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4229392.stm

[malaise]

18. Sadly the Navy in some coastal fishing villages in Chile

told people heading for higher ground that there would be no tsunami. Thankfully most of them ignored them and headed for safety. There is massive devastation in those towns.

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[rabs]

19. For those posting merriment on the tragedy of Juan Fernandez Island

the La Tercera story has a typo. It is not a "bong" the little girl sounded.

It was the rudimentary, emergency alert system in the town square. The little girl banged on the town's "gong."

Here is an English version for non-Spanish readers:

http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:AN7rhxeGHMgJ:www.goodnewsnetwork.org/all-headlines.html+juan+fernandez+gong+foto&cd=5&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

22. "Merriment on the tragedy"? Come on. People were saved, and it's a funny typo. -nt