Russian specialists have helped almost 150 people affected by the Chilean earthquake since they arrived to the devastated country, a Russian emergencies ministry spokeswoman said on Sunday.

"Russian Emergency Situations Ministry doctors have already helped 149 people over the time of their stay in Chile, including 16 people in the last twenty-four hours, " the spokeswoman said, adding that the doctors had performed 44 surgical operations.

In addition, the ministry's psychotherapists have helped 203 people, including eleven in the last twenty-four hours, she said.

Two Russian emergencies ministry planes arrived in Chile on March 14 carrying personnel, supplies and equipment including a mobile hospital to help the earthquake-stricken country.

Some 150 tremors, about 20 of them powerful, have been registered in Chile since an 8.8-magnitude earthquake occurred to the north of Concepcion on February 27. According to official reports, 497 people died as a result of that tremor, which left some 2 million Chileans homeless and damaged about 1.5 million houses.

Chile's newly-elected President Sebastian Pinera has said it would cost at least $30 billion to rebuild the country after the devastating earthquake.

MOSCOW, March 21 (RIA Novosti)