Chile's President Michelle Bachelet said the reconstruction of the country will take 3-4 years, following the 8.8 magnitude earthquake and ensuing tsunami that hit the country on February 27.

"I think [the reconstruction of the country will take] practically all the next government or at least three years," Bachelet said on Thursday in a radio interview with local station ADN.
The head of state will on Thursday meet with president-elect Sebastián Piñera and ministers to evaluate what needs to be done.
Experts have calculated the cost of the catastrophe at US$30bn.
It will probably be necessary to turn to foreign loans or help from international financial institutions such as the [*1]World Bank[/*1] to help finance the reconstruction, according to Bachelet.
The country's infrastructure - roads, bridges, airports, railways, among others, suffered extensive damage from the natural disasters.
Bachelet leaves office next week so the task of reconstruction will fall to Piñera's administration.
NEW GOVERNMENT
Meanwhile, Piñera announced the complete overhaul of the country's emergency programs, such as those designed to handle catastrophes. The system to face calamities will be redesigned and more coordination between the armed forces and authorities will be implemented. The objective is to prepare authorities and relevant players for a faster, more coordinated response to disasters.
The president-elect said his second point of focus will be to repair infrastructure such as highways and roads, airports, ports, telecommunications and power lines.
The incoming government will also concentrate on rebuilding homes in the affected areas.
"Our future government will not be the earthquake government but the reconstruction government," Piñera told local radio station ADN.