Rescue and recovery mission continues in Chile, death toll tops 700

A rescue mission is underway in central Chile this morning, following Saturday's devastating earthquake.

By: Tara Mergener CBS News | WNCT-On Your Side
Published: March 01, 2010

A rescue mission continues in Central Chile this morning, following Saturday's devastating earthquake.
In the hard-hit city of Concepcion, rescuers searched through the night desperate to find survivors after Saturday's 8.8 magnitude earthquake.
Across the central coastal region of Chile, the death toll has topped 700 and with many still missing, that number is expected to grow.
In an effort to curb looting, Chile's President Michelle Bachelet says the basic essentials from major supermarkets will be given away for free. 10,000 Chilean soldiers are also on the streets enforcing a dusk to dawn curfew in some areas.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will visit Chile on Tuesday as part of her five-nation Latin American tour. She’ll stop in the capital city of Santiago to show America’s support for the rescue and recovery mission.
After initially turning down foreign aid, President Bachelet appealed for International help Sunday. Along with food and water, field hospitals and temporary bridges top the list of needs.
Some areas were left devastated, either by the monster quake or the series of frightening tsunamis that followed. President Bachelet is calling it a catastrophe of unthinkable magnitude and says recovery will take a massive effort.