Chilean President Michelle Bachelet said on Wednesday that Chile is ready to recover from Saturday's devastating quake and called on Chileans to remain calm.

"Chile can reply to this tremendous catastrophe because today we have better conditions ... We are in conditions to stand up again. This is a moment when we cannot be defeated by the adversity," Bachelet said after a meeting with local businessmen.

Bachelet also urged people to remain calm, stressing that the country is not suffering shortage of basic products.

"There is not shortage here and there is enough food, so we must keep calm in places where relief aid is being delivered," she said.

Meanwhile, the Organization of American States (OAS) expressed its deep regret over the 8.8-magnitude quake in Chile, and strongly supported its rescue and reconstruction.

Chilean Ambassador Pedro Oyarce brief the OAS on the "necessary measures" his government has taken to keep order and satisfy the daily necessities of the quake victims.

"We hope that once again, with the support of the brother countries, we could stand up to challenge the impacts of the disaster," Oyarce said.

OAS General Secretary Jose Miguel Insulza described the destruction in quake-Chile as "enormous" after a tour to the affected areas.

Venezuelan Interior and Justice Minister Tareck El Aissami said that his country has sent to Chile rescuers and experts, who had been working in Haiti after the earthquake on Jan. 12.

Venezuela will also send a load of 7.2 tons of water and food, as well as 400 blankets to Chile, he added.

(Xinhua News Agency March 4, 2010)