Chile Earthquake Emergency: Armed Looting Threatens Children Charity

CAMBRIDGE, England, March 2, 2010 - On Sunday 28 February 2010, a massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake
struck central Chile, killing at least 723 people. The quake centred 200
miles south-west of Santiago at a depth of 22 miles. The epicentre was 70
miles from Concepcion, Chile's second largest city, with a population of
around 670,000. Many of the city's inhabitants are short of food and have
seen their water and electricity supplies cut off.

SOS Children's Villages, the world's largest orphan charity,
has been working in Chile since 1965 and has 13 Children's Villages in the
country. Whilst there have been no fatalities at any of the SOS Children's
projects, two Villages have suffered severe structural damage and at the SOS
Children's Village Chaimávida, which is located some 20 minutes from
Concepción, staff have reported an attempted armed break-in. Armed robbers
are thought to have been attempting to loot the Village houses, where SOS
mothers care for orphaned and abandoned children. The SOS mothers and
children have been forced to stay indoors amidst shooting around them.

Norma Valdes, director of the SOS Mother Training Centre near Concepción
said: "there are gunshots in the streets and people are looting all the
shops". A curfew has been imposed in Concepción starting at midday, until the
chaos can be controlled by the police and the armed forces.

Andrew Cates, CEO of SOS Children UK says: "We are all deeply concerned
about the situation in Concepción and the safety of our team working
there. Our staff are so focused on providing safety for children
left alone, that they always put themselves first in such
difficult conditions".

SOS Children's Villages Chile offers new homes, families and
education to more than 1,500 orphaned and abandoned children.

    Notes for Editors:

    - SOS Children UK CEO Andrew Cates is available for comment. If
      you would like to interview any of our field staff in Chile please get
      in touch with Doris Kirchebner: doris.kirchebner@sos-kd.org
      Telephone +43-512-3310 extension 5171

    - SOS Children's Villages provides a family for life for children
      who have lost their parents through war, famine, disease, natural
      disaster and poverty. Over 78,000 orphaned and abandoned children are
      cared for by SOS mothers in clusters of family homes in more than 500
      unique Children's Villages in 124 countries worldwide. Thousands more
      children benefit from SOS Children's outreach support which includes
      education, vocational training, medical care and community development
      programmes. For more information please visit:
      www.soschildren.org

For more information please contact Elizabeth Rodgers, Press
and Communications Manager, SOS Children, elizabeth@soschildren.org or
+44(0)1223-365-589

For more information please contact Elizabeth Rodgers, Press and Communications Manager, SOS Children, elizabeth at soschildren.org or +44(0)1223-365-589