Geologists have said that the 8.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Chile on Saturday was the fifth-strongest in the world since 1900.

The New York Times reported on Sunday that a 9.5-magnitude quake that struck near Concepcion in 1960, killing more than 2,000 people and leaving more than 2 million homeless was the strongest quake recorded since 1900 which also occurred in Chile.

Andre Filiatrault, the director of the Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research at the University at Buffalo, said that following a 7.8-magnitude quake in Valparaiso in 1985, officials imposed strict building codes and one result is that the death toll and extent of damage from Saturday's quake are likely to be much less than what Haiti suffered from a 7-magnitude quake Jan. 12.

Bachelet Sunday declared a "state of catastrophe" and said Saturday's quake was "one of the worst tragedies in the last 50 years" in Chile.

The Times in a telephone interview from Santiago was told by Paul E. Simons, the U. S. ambassador to Chile, the United States has offered aid but Chilean authorities had yet to request help. The Times said that International Federation of Red Crosses and Red Crescents said the Chilean Red Cross had not indicated a need for outside help. (With input form agencies)