One year after a devastating earthquake struck, Chile is holding a series of commemorative activities starting from Cobquecura at the epicenter of the 8.8-magnitude temblor and tsunami that wreaked death and destruction in the South American country.

The debris of a house is seen in Concepcion, about 500km south of Santiago, capital of Chile, on Feb. 24, 2011. Concepcion, among the areas hit by a major earthquake and tsunami on Feb. 27, 2010, marks the first anniversary of the 8.8 magnitude earthquake. According to the Chilean government, the earthquake left 512 people dead and 56 missing.(Xinhua/Jorge Villegas)

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera and hundreds of local people attended a candle-lit prayer service in Cobquecura, observing a moment of silence in memory of the victims of the disaster.

"From the ruins, the pain and damage, a valiant and generous nation arises," Pinera said at the service, recalling a whole year of effort that the two million quake/tsunami-affected people devoted into post-quake reconstruction.

He said the reconstruction has been advancing in high gear, though there was still a long way to go.

On Feb. 27, 2010, an earthquake measuring 8.8 on the Richter scale hit the central-southern part of Chile. The quake, one of the strongest ever recorded, and subsequent tsunami killed over 500 people and caused 30 billion U.S. dollars in economic losses.

VietNamNet/Xinhuanet