Hillary Clinton Takes Aid to Chile, With More to Come

(March 2) -- Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton arrived in quake-devastated Chile today with the kind of aid that the country says is a priority: satellite phones.

Clinton brought 25 of the phones with her and said they were the first of 62 that would be delivered.

At a news conference with Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, Clinton said the U.S. would also provide eight water purification systems and a mobile field hospital that is "ready to go," The Associated Press reported.

More than 700 people died and 2 million were displaced in the 8.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Saturday and has been described as the seventh-strongest in recorded history.

In addition to the satellite phones, Bachelet said Chile needs temporary bridges, field hospitals, money to buy food and medicine, generators, water purification systems and autonomous dialysis systems.

She said the need was especially great in rural areas.

"We have these things in our country, but how can we get them to the people if we don't have bridges and roads?" Bachelet was quoted as saying by the AP.

Clinton said the U.S. is "ready to help in any way" that Chile requests, and that it is trying to find the dialysis machines that Bachelet mentioned. Clinton said the U.S. would also look for generators, portable bridges, portable kitchens and helicopters.