Dharamsala, March 1 (IANS) Exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has expressed sympathy with the bereaved family members of the earthquake victims of Chile, an official statement said Monday.

An earthquake of 8.8-magnitude rocked the South American nation Saturday that has claimed at least 711 lives.

In a letter to Chile President Michelle Bachelet dated Feb 28, the Nobel laureate expressed his sadness at the loss of many lives and the extensive damage to roads and buildings, said the statement on the website of the Tibetan government-in-exile here Monday.

He extended his prayers, sympathy and condolences to those who have been directly affected by this tragedy.

An estimated 90 aftershocks continued to rattle the Chile region since the early Saturday temblor, according to the US Geological Survey. The aftershocks included a 6.9 magnitude quake off the coast.