Bolivia assists Chile to rescue earthquake victims
The Bolivian government will send four tons of humanitarian assistance for the victims of an earthquake in north Chile that killed 11 people, officials said Tuesday.

An earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale hit the First Region of north Chile, bordering Bolivia, in the early hours of Monday, leaving 11 people dead and 130 others injured and damaging a number of houses.

According to reports from La Paz, capital of Bolivia, Vice Foreign Minister Jorge Gumucio said the assistance will serve to help the poorest of the population on both sides of the border.

Gumucio said a Bolivian citizen had reported to her country's consulate at Iquique that one of the quake victims was a one-year-old Bolivian girl.

"We have an important Bolivian presence in the zone, thus we know that among those affected, there were many Bolivians who went to work in the zone," said Gumucio.

Emergency Attention Director of the Bolivian Civil Defense Department Gustavo Gandarillas said the aid includes blankets, mattresses, medicine and water-storage equipment.

Civil Defense Immediate Attention Director Gonzalo Guereca is to leave La Paz Tuesday for Iquique with the assistance.