Gallery: Chile after the quake

The magnitude 8.8 quake hit before dawn on February 27 and was centered close to the Chilean city of Concepcion [AFP]

Dozens of powerful aftershocks followed the quake [AFP]

Thousands of troops have moved into Chilean towns to provide aid assistance and security [AFP]

Unrest and mass looting forced authorities to impose curfew in several cities [AFP]

One resident protects his own property in the port town of Talcahuano, 20km from Concepcion, amid fears of looting [AFP]

Residents in affected areas have complained of little assistance from the government [AFP]

Rescue workers, meanwhile, are continuing to search for bodies under the rubble of collapsed and damaged buildings [AFP]

The widespread damage to infrastructure has also triggered fears of a humanitarian crisis [AFP]

Michelle Bachelet, the Chilean president, visited the affected areas in Concepcion. She has declared a "state of catastrophe" in the country [Reuters]

The quake also triggered a powerful tsunami that swept parts of the Chilean coast and caused serious damage[AFP]

Officials say the many deaths from the tsunami could have been avoided if proper alert systems were in place [AFP]

On the mainland the destruction has left thousands homeless [Reuters]

The damage has been widespread, despite Chile having some of the most stringent building construction laws in the world [AFP]

Rebuilding lives remain a tough challenge given the scale of the disaster [Reuters]