Massive earthquake strikes Chile

A massive earthquake has hit central Chile and killed at least 147 people, though the toll is expected to rise.

The 8.8 quake caused widespread damage, destroying buildings, bridges and roads in many areas, including the capital where a chemical plant caught fire.

Electricity, water and phone lines have been cut. Hundreds of thousands of people are believed to be affected.

Several Pacific countries were hit by waves higher than usual after a tsunami was set off by the quake.

In French Polynesia waves 6ft (1.8m) high swept ashore, but there were no immediate reports of damage.

Hawaii, Tahiti and New Zealand were among countries to warn residents in coastal areas to move to higher ground.

The earthquake struck at 0634 GMT, 115km (70 miles) north-east of the city of Concepcion and 325km south-west of the capital Santiago. It is the biggest to hit Chile in 50 years.

Local journalists in the region of Maule said 85 had died there.

Deaths were also in reported in the regions of Santiago, O’Higgins, Biobio, Araucania and Valparaiso.

National television said it estimated that at least 150 people had been killed.

Television pictures showed a major bridge at Concepcion had collapsed into the Biobio river.

Rescue teams are finding it difficult to reach Concepcion because of damage to infrastructure, national television reported.

Aftershocks

In Santiago, where at least 13 people were killed, several buildings collapsed – including a car park where dozens of cars were smashed.

A fire at a chemical plant in the outskirts of the capital forced the evacuation of the neighbourhood
Hawaii, Tahiti and New Zealand were among countries to warn residents in coastal areas to move to higher ground.

The earthquake struck at 0634 GMT, 115km (70 miles) north-east of the city of Concepcion and 325km south-west of the capital Santiago. It is the biggest to hit Chile in 50 years.

Local journalists in the region of Maule said 85 had died there.

Deaths were also in reported in the regions of Santiago, O’Higgins, Biobio, Araucania and Valparaiso.

National television said it estimated that at least 150 people had been killed.

Television pictures showed a major bridge at Concepcion had collapsed into the Biobio river.

Rescue teams are finding it difficult to reach Concepcion because of damage to infrastructure, national television reported.

Aftershocks

In Santiago, where at least 13 people were killed, several buildings collapsed – including a car park where dozens of cars were smashed.

A fire at a chemical plant in the outskirts of the capital forced the evacuation of the neighbourhood
Hawaii, Tahiti and New Zealand were among countries to warn residents in coastal areas to move to higher ground.

The earthquake struck at 0634 GMT, 115km (70 miles) north-east of the city of Concepcion and 325km south-west of the capital Santiago. It is the biggest to hit Chile in 50 years.

Local journalists in the region of Maule said 85 had died there.

Deaths were also in reported in the regions of Santiago, O’Higgins, Biobio, Araucania and Valparaiso.

National television said it estimated that at least 150 people had been killed.

Television pictures showed a major bridge at Concepcion had collapsed into the Biobio river.

Rescue teams are finding it difficult to reach Concepcion because of damage to infrastructure, national television reported.

Aftershocks

In Santiago, where at least 13 people were killed, several buildings collapsed – including a car park where dozens of cars were smashed.

A fire at a chemical plant in the outskirts of the capital forced the evacuation of the neighbourhood

South Delhi godman busted for sex racket

NEW DELHI: From earning a meagre Rs 2,000 to raking in a princely Rs 5 lakh every month, Shiv Murti Dwivedi alias Sant Swami Bhimanand Ji Maharaj Chitrakoot Wale (39) has come a long way in the past 22 years. Dwivedi, a self-styled godman, was arrested by south district police on Friday for operating a high-profile sex racket. It involved former airhostesses and students.

Starting as a security guard at a five-star hotel at Nehru Place in 1988, he landed in the middle of a prostitution racket in his quest for quick riches. He was first arrested in Lajpat Nagar in 1997 for running a prostitution racket with a massage parlour as a facade.

Dwivedi had himself worked at a massage parlour in the same area in 1990 where he was earning a monthly salary of Rs 3000. He also used to get Rs 20 for every massage. Here he came in contact with pimps and had soon picked up tricks of the trade. Within a few months, Dwivedi had started his own massage parlour during which he came in contact with pimps like jailed Kanwaljeet and Sonu Punjaban to whom he even supplied call girls.

After his arrest, he changed tack, turning to Shirdi Sai Baba and meditation. He used to meditate at a Badarpur temple and soon attracted a string of followers. With their help, he bought land in Khanpur’s C-block in 2000.

“Dwivedi had more than a lakh devotees and in 2002 bought another plot of land in Khanpur where he built a three-storey house which has nearly 14 rooms,” said a senior police officer. The temple had CCTVs installed inside with the control room in his private chamer. He even built a tunnel inside the temple.

Dwivedi, according to the cops, has garnered assets worth several crores in the past 12 years. Besides a 20-acre plot in Chitrakoot where he was building a hospital and a temple and the temple and house in Delhi, Dwivedi had also rented three government flats in different areas of south Delhi. He used two of these for running his racket while one was used as a temple rest house.

DCP (south) HGS Dhaliwal said, “Dwivedi was also arrested in a stolen property case in 1998. He called himself Ichchadhari Sant Swami Bhimanand Ji Maharaj Chitrakoot and claimed to be a disciple of Sai Baba.” Police said he also ran a security agency at Khanpur.

On Saturday when Times City visited the temple in Khanpur, all the flats were locked. Locals said their complaints to the cops had gone unheard all these years and the Baba and his cohorts have been threatening them. “They always had politicians and businessmen visiting them,” said Rajendra Kumar, a resident of the area.

The police say Dwivedi organised several pravachans and satsangs involving politicians. A couple of prominent politicians have, meanwhile, denied any links with Dwivedi, saying they knew him only as a disciple of Sai Baba.

Dwivedi had recently delivered a sermon in North Avenue which was attended by several prominent MPs and MLAs. The racket was busted when the police received a complaint regarding his activities. The cops found that he had floated a website. A decoy customer was sent and a deal stuck after which the police nabbed him and six women.