Massive Chilean Quake Moved Whole Cities

A preliminary map reveals Significant displacements as far east as Buenos Aires, Argentina and as far north as the Chilean border with Peru, thanks to the massive earthquake. (Project CAP/OSU)

The Earth really did move during last month's massive Chile quake, which killed hundreds of people and left two million homeless. Researchers say cities and islands physically shifted west.

Thanks to satellites, scientists at Ohio State University and the University of Hawaii found that the city of Concepcion moved at least 10 feet to the west, reports SkyNews.

It is the nearest major city to last month's quake.

Chile's capital, Santiago, moved just shy of 1 feet, and even Buenos Aires, in Argentina, moved an inch. The Falkland Islands also went a bit west.

Researcher Ben Brooks said this happens with every quake but is usually too small to notice. This time, with a magnitude of 8.8, the scientists saw a great deal of movement.

One NASA scientist says the quake probably shifted the Earth's axis and made days slightly shorter.

The Chile quake was one of the strongest ever measured and the giant waves that followed left almost 500 confirmed dead and at least 260 others missing.

Towns and the infrastructure were shattered. Key industries such as fishing were hit. Chilean tycoon Sebastian Pinera faces a huge reconstruction challenge when he takes over the country's presidency on Thursday.

Read more at SkyNews.com.