Why were officials accused of negligence after the Chile earthquake of 2010?

In May 2012, eight officials—including the director of the Chilean National Emergency Office and the director of the navy’s Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service—were charged with negligence following the 2010 earthquake.1

These officials were accused of failing to notify coastal residents of the approaching tsunami surges despite having received warnings. Further investigations uncovered that the Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service had attempted to alter its logbooks to conceal the fact that these warnings had been dismissed.1

The legal proceedings concluded with various outcomes:
* A seismologist from the University of Chile agreed to additional training.1
* A supervisor at the National Emergency Office pleaded guilty and was sentenced to probation.1
* In April 2016, the remaining six defendants reached an agreement to pay a collective 235 million pesos to 104 families of tsunami victims to avoid a trial.1
* Additionally, the Chilean government was ordered to pay approximately 2.8 billion pesos to the families of the victims.1