World | Michelle Bachelet Chile President : Quake Toll at 708 More than doubles the known dead By Newser Editors and Wire Services Posted Feb 28, 2010 1:03 PM CST Copied A man run away from tear gas, shot by police officers, during looting in Concepcion, Chile, Sunday, Feb. 28, 2010. A 8.8-magnitude earthquake hit Chile early Saturday. (Natacha Pisarenko) See 20 more photos President Michelle Bachelet says that Chile's earthquake killed at least 708 people—sharply increasing the known death toll from about 300. The president tells a news conference that the country faces "a catastrophe of such unthinkable magnitude that it will require a giant effort" for Chile to recover. The announcement came after a six-hour meeting with aides and emergency officials coping with yesterday's magnitude-8.8 quake. Read These Next Martha Stewart in hot water over her Halloween costume. A look at why everyone appears to be reading the same books. Coroner blames experimental peptides in actor's death. Before nosedive, scared pilot warned 'we're gonna crash.' See 20 more photos Report an error