Chile Massive Earthquake and Tsunami

[Trev]

An Earthquake of 8.8 offshore of Chile has caused deaths and building collapses and Tsunami waves of at least 10 feet. Tsunami watches and warnings are in place from Chile to USA to Hawii, Japan and even Australia.

 

[TheLastOne36]

I didn't feel anything. =\ Then again, I was sleeping.

 

[Babbler]

Massive earthquake strikes Chile

A massive earthquake with a magnitude of 8.8 has hit central Chile, killing at least 78 people, ministers say.

The quake struck at 0634 GMT about 115km (70 miles) north-east of the city of Concepcion and 325km south-west of the capital, Santiago.

President Michelle Bachelet declared a "state of catastrophe" in affected areas and appealed for calm.

People are moving to higher ground on Easter Island amid fears of a tsunami. Alerts are in place across the Pacific.

Tsunami warnings have been issued for Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, Central America and Pacific island nations.

Santiago airport has been closed and all flights cancelled until further notice, airline officials say. Flights are being diverted to Mendoza in Argentina.

Aftershocks

The earthquake is the biggest to hit Chile in 50 years.

Giving details of the latest casualties, President Bachelet said 34 of the deaths were in Maule, 13 in the Santiago municipality, 12 in the O'Higgins region, 10 in Bio Bio, five in Araucania and four in Valparaiso.

She said these were preliminary figures and could rise.

President Bachelet said: "People should remain calm. We're doing everything we can with all the forces we have. Any information [we have] we will share immediately."

She said a "wave of large proportion" had affected the Juan Fernandez island group, reaching halfway into one inhabited area. Two aid ships are reported to be on their way.

Ms Bachelet said that "high tidal waves" could also reach Easter Island soon.

"Because of that we are evacuating people living in low-lying areas," she said.

Ms Bachelet said if there were more aftershocks, people in coastal areas of Chile should go to higher ground.

She warned people not to travel on roads in affected areas as a number of bridges were down.

Chilean officials said the worst affected town appeared to be Parral, close to the epicentre.

POWERFUL EARTHQUAKES
# Haiti, 12 Jan 2010: About 230,000 people die after shallow 7.0 magnitude quake
# Sumatra, Indonesia, 26 Dec 2004: 9.2 magnitude. Triggers Asian tsunami that kills nearly 250,000 people
# Alaska, US, 28 March 1964: 9.2 magnitude; 128 people killed. Anchorage badly damaged
# Chile, south of Concepcion, 22 May 1960: 9.5 magnitude. About 1,655 deaths. Tsunami hits Hawaii and Japan
# Kamchatka, NE Russia, 4 Nov 1952: 9.0 magnitude

Chilean television said there had been a fire involving chemicals in the town of Colina, 20km north of Santiago, but that it was now under control.

Several hospitals have had to be evacuated in a number of areas, including Santiago, because of structural damage.

One resident of Chillan, 100km from the epicentre, told Chilean television the shaking there lasted about two minutes.

Other residents of Chillan and Curico said communications were down but running water was still available.

Many of Chile's news websites and radio stations are still not accessible.

Buildings in Santiago were reported to have shaken for between 10 and 30 seconds, with the loss of electricity and communications.

Officials said damage to Santiago international airport's terminal would keep it closed for at least 24 hours.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the earthquake struck at a depth of about 35km.

It also recorded eight aftershocks, the largest of 6.9 magnitude at 0801 GMT.

The USGS said tsunami effects had been observed at Valparaiso, west of Santiago, with a wave height of 1.69m above normal sea level.

One journalist speaking to Chilean national television from the city of Temuco, 600km south of Santiago, said many people there had left their homes, determined to spend the rest of the night outside. Some people on the streets were in tears.

A university professor in Santiago, Cristian Bonacic, said that this was a massive quake but that the cities seemed to have resisted well. Internet communications were working but not mobile phones.

Chile is highly vulnerable to earthquakes as it is situated on the Pacific "Rim of Fire", on the edge of the Pacific and South American plates.

Chile suffered the biggest earthquake of the 20th century when a 9.5 magnitude quake struck the city of Valdivia in 1960, killing 1,655 people.

Are you in Chile? Did you experience the earthquake? Send us your comments, pictures and video.

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Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/8540289.stm

Published: 2010/02/27 12:15:15 GMT

© BBC MMX

Well that's terrible.

 

[Cutlass]

I hope that wasn't too close to any large populations.

 

[Yui108]

reported casualties aren't horrifically bad. (like Haiti)

 

[innonimatu]

reported casualties aren't horrifically bad. (like Haiti)

This was a deep one, that makes its impact less devastating than a less intense one near the surface, like what happened in Haiti.

 

[Joecoolyo]

Oh wow, mother earth is pissed. First we get the 7.0 in Haiti, then we get 7.5 in Japan, and now we get and 8.8 in Chile. When will it end???

 

[Formaldehyde]

Oh wow, mother earth is pissed. First we get the 7.0 in Haiti, then we get 7.5 in Japan, and now we get and 8.8 in Chile. When will it end???

Never?

Spoiler :

 

[Joecoolyo]

Never?

Spoiler :

Well, obviously. But I was commenting on the seemingly high amount of large earthquakes (7.0 and above) happening near large population areas this year.

 

[Winner]

Well, never is an overstatement. In few billion years, if the Sun doesn't swallow Earth altogether, the interior of the planet will cool enough for plate tectonics to stop.

Earthquakes are a sign that the interior of the planet works, which is a good thing, even though we sometimes don't like the results

 

[bigdog5994]

Damit!!!! our earthquake machine missed again

 

[Winner]

Chávez is one lucky guy

 

[Birdjaguar]

Breaking news here. Hawaii is bracing for a tsunami in the next 4-6 hours.

Moderator Action: Threads merged

 

[Joecoolyo]

Breaking news here. Hawaii is bracing for a tsunami in the next 4-6 hours.

Moderator Action: Threads merged

And according to NOAA, so is the rest of the West Coast. Lets just hope it isn't anything horrendous.

 

[PlutonianEmpire]

Here's the tsunami travel map:

 

[TheLastOne36]

Appearantly the Earthquake was a big distance so that would explain why it was 8.8, while barely anyone died and nobody had "severe shacking" just "mild shaking"

It is the complete opposite of haiti.

 

[pesgores]

Still 8.8. Haiti was "just" 7.0.

 

[Cheetah]

Meh.

Terrible for those who were affected, but it seems that very few people actually were.

And it also seems like everyone will be prepared for any possible tsunamis.
I've been up all night drinking and singing karaoke.

I'm going to bed and expect to read lots of newsstories about how the terrible tsunami actually wasn't that terrible after all, and that a the deathnumbers from Chile unfortunately will have to be increased a bit.

 

[Formaldehyde]

They are showing Waikiki Beach live on CNN, and there's someone out there swimming!

 

[PlutonianEmpire]

Lol.

Looks like a Darwin Award candidate.