SANTIAGO, Chile – A powerful earthquake has shaken Chile’s capital, causing buildings to sway and people to take refuge in the streets.
The US Geological Survey initially reported the quake at a preliminary magnitude of 7.9 but quickly revised the reading to 8.3.
US officials said the quake struck just offshore in the Pacific at 7:54 pm (6:54 pm EDT, 1154 GMT) and was centered about 141 miles (227km) north-west of Santiago.
Chile’s emergency office warned that big waves caused by the quake could hit the coast by 11pm.
Hazardous tsunami waves from the quake were possible along the coasts of Chile and Peru within the next several hours, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said.
Chile Authorities are currently evacuating coastal regions.
Tsunami watches are issued for the following regions:
TSUNAMI WAVES REACHING MORE THAN 3 METERS ABOVE THE TIDE
LEVEL ARE POSSIBLE ALONG SOME COASTS OF
CHILE.
* TSUNAMI WAVES REACHING 1 TO 3 METERS ABOVE THE TIDE LEVEL ARE
POSSIBLE ALONG SOME COASTS OF
FRENCH POLYNESIA.
* TSUNAMI WAVES REACHING 0.3 TO 1 METERS ABOVE THE TIDE LEVEL
ARE POSSIBLE FOR SOME COASTS OF
MEXICO… ECUADOR… PERU… ANTARCTICA… JAPAN… NEW
CALEDONIA… NEW ZEALAND… MARSHALL ISLANDS… FIJI… SAMOA…
AMERICAN SAMOA… COOK ISLANDS… TOKELAU… VANUATU…
KIRIBATI… JOHNSTON ISLAND… PALMYRA ISLAND… HOWLAND AND
BAKER… TONGA… WALLIS AND FUTUNA… PITCAIRN ISLANDS…
NIUE… SOLOMON ISLANDS… RUSSIA… HAWAII… AND NW HAWAIIAN
ISLANDS.
* TSUNAMI WAVES ARE FORECAST TO BE LESS THAN 0.3 METERS ABOVE
THE TIDE LEVEL FOR THE COASTS OF
EL SALVADOR… GUATEMALA… HONDURAS… COSTA RICA…
NICARAGUA… PANAMA… COLOMBIA… AUSTRALIA… PHILIPPINES…
TAIWAN… CHINA… NORTHERN MARIANAS… GUAM… PALAU… YAP…
POHNPEI… CHUUK… KOSRAE… NAURU… WAKE ISLAND… MIDWAY
ISLAND… JARVIS ISLAND… TUVALU… PAPUA NEW GUINEA…
INDONESIA… VIETNAM… MALAYSIA… AND BRUNEI.
WHAT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS ARTICLE:
- The US Geological Survey initially reported the quake at a preliminary magnitude of 7.
- * TSUNAMI WAVES REACHING 1 TO 3 METERS ABOVE THE TIDE LEVEL ARE.
- Hazardous tsunami waves from the quake were possible along the coasts of Chile and Peru within the next several hours, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said.
