Chilean security forces Monday arrested dozens of looters in quake-hit Concepcion, the country's second biggest city.

In Concepcion, hundreds of looters ransacked shops for food and other goods. The security forces detained dozens of people for looting.

A Xinhua journalist saw a mob looting a shop on the Karreira street in the city. Several youngsters smashed shop glass, reached the second floor and dropped cans, drink, rice and tissues to the ground.

A citizen, who managed to get a package of tissues, said, "Looting occurred as the government has nearly done nothing since the quake took place three days ago."

Looting also broke out in parts of the capital Santiago.

The government announced a curfew in the Maule region and Concepcion, and has sent 10,000 troops to enforce curfews and quell outbreaks of looting.

A powerful 6.2-magnitude aftershock hit central Chile late Sunday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

The 8.8-magnitude quake occurring Saturday has killed over 700 people.

(Xinhua News Agency March 2, 2010)