Gripped by fears that more tremors would follow, some people have even moved to the nearby hilltops, he added.

Extreme lack of living necessities has also spurred shop lootings and robberies in the city. Police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse looters in a supermarket.

In addition to policemen, there're also heavily-armed troops patrolling the streets.

The massive earthquake struck off Chile's Maule region early Saturday morning and jolted many cities in central and southern regions of the country.

Chilean President Michelle Bachelet said on Sunday that the death toll from the quake had reached 708 and was likely to increase as rescue went on.

Chile's national emergency office said Region VII and Region VIII are the hardest-hit areas in the quake. Concepcion, capital of Region VIII and the second-largest city of the country, was the hardest hit.

(Xinhua News Agency March 1, 2010)