Chilean Girl Saves Her Island From Tsunami After Earthquake

When the 8.8 earthquake hit Chile over the weekend, 12-year-old Martina Maturana knew exactly what to do. Living in low-lying areas on Chile's Robinson Crusoe island, Martina's community was especially in danger of tsunami following the earthquake. Martina quickly ran to ring the warning bell, alerting her neighbors that a wave was approaching, so they could run to safety. Because of her quick thinking, Martina was able to save her neighbors' lives.

WATCH:

Comments

[stargazer13]

03:24 PM on 03/09/2010

She is a hero in my book !

[SuiiiYllah]

01:33 AM on 03/06/2010

her dad is cute

[James Croteau]

03:25 AM on 03/05/2010

Nice to read some good news, for a change.

[rougebaisers]

11:03 PM on 03/04/2010

Brave strong sister. I salute you.

[PDXTransplant]

10:09 PM on 03/04/2010

Smart young lady!! You are a hero!

[HekmagaJuximakLives]

09:52 PM on 03/04/2010

...and this is the way we do things in the US:

"New Jersey - WABC, July 27, 2007) (WABC) -- A Good Samaritan is demanding justice after she was arrested by officers who asked for her help.

It was all captured on videotape.

The woman who was busted spoke out Friday about why she stopped to help another woman who was hit by a bus, and about the puzzling way she was treated and arrested by a cop when she told him she had to leave to pick up her daughter. "

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local&id=5518099

[James Croteau]

04:27 AM on 03/05/2010

only in america. this is like arresting the girl in Chile for unauthorized ringing of a bell.

[Cryostatic]

12:33 PM on 03/08/2010

Witness to a bad car accident, I stopped to assist. Post giving them my statement, police on the scene claimed that another witness said that the driver (apparently under the influence of something) had given me something and that I'd put it in my car. Nothing of the sort happened, of course, I hadn't even stepped back over to my own vehicle yet, but I let the kind officer search the vehicle anyway.

Thinking back, when initially asked by one of the officers who I was and why I was there, I replied that I saw the accident and stopped to help. I got a rather derisive sounding "Good Samaritan, huh?" in response. Mabye he was just jaded by having to deal with drunks, drug abusers and their ilk day after day, but he seemed to consider one stranger stopping to help another a rather unlikely thing.

[GetAGrip007]

09:43 PM on 03/04/2010

You are a true blue hero!!! Way to go Martina!

[boycottrightwingthings]

09:36 PM on 03/04/2010

Awesome! Way to go Martina! : )

[Barbie and Ken forever]

09:06 PM on 03/04/2010

A great and brave hero

[Palmz]

08:41 PM on 03/04/2010

My little hero.......

I hope Oprah honor her.

[laurelei23]

08:23 PM on 03/04/2010

Apparently, Martina is smarter than the Chilean navy. Good for her! Well done.

[myj66]

08:14 PM on 03/04/2010

I'm so proud of her!

[zapata86303]

08:10 PM on 03/04/2010

Those kids sometimes do the darnedest things! And they usually do it better than adults.

[KriTiKiT]

07:31 PM on 03/04/2010

way to go!

[OracleOfBandiagara]

07:25 PM on 03/04/2010

Well done Martina bless you.