8.8 Chilean Earthquake, Pacific Tsunami Warning

[ricki]

Residents look at a collapsed building in Concepcion, Chile, Saturday Feb. 27, 2010 after an 8.8-magnitude struck central Chile. The epicenter was 70 miles (115 kilometers) from Concepcion, Chile's second-largest city.(AP Photo)
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2...tens-pacific-/


Santiago, Chile (CNN) -- A massive magnitude 8.8 earthquake rocked Chile early Saturday, the U.S. Geological Survey said, killing at least 147 people and triggering tsunami warnings for the entire Pacific basin.

Warning sirens were sounded in Hawaii at 6 a.m., although any possible tsunami would not strike for several hours. Tsunamis can travel at 400 to 500 mph, the speed of a jet plane, said Georgia Tech geology professor Kurt Frankel.

A large wave killed three people and 10 were missing on the island of Juan Fernandez, 400 miles (643 km) off the coast of Chile, said Provincial Governor Ivan De La Maza.
On mainland Chile, the task of trying to save survivors and recover the dead was fully under way by late morning. Buildings lay in rubble, bridges and highway overpasses were toppled and roads buckled like rumpled paper.

"This is a major event. This happened near some very populated areas," said Randy Baldwin, a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey. "With an 8.8, you expect damage to the population in the area."
Continued at: http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americ...ake/index.html



http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2...tens-pacific-/




A wide spread tsunami warning has been posted.



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/0..._n_479393.html



From: http://www.prh.noaa.gov/ptwc/


The jolt set off a tsunami that swamped a village on an island off Chile, then raced across the Pacific, setting off alarm sirens in Hawaii, Polynesia and Tonga. Tahitian officials banned all traffic on roads less than 1,600 feet (500 meters) from the sea and people in several low-lying island nations were urged to find higher ground.

The first waves were expected to hit Hawaii after 11 a.m. (4 p.m. EST; 2100 GMT) and measure roughly 8 feet (2.5 meters) at Hilo. Officials evacuated people and boats near the water and closed shore-side Hilo International Airport.

Experts said tsunami waves could hit Asian, Australian and New Zealand shores as well as the U.S. West Coast and Alaska. In all, 53 nations and territories were subject to tsunami warnings.

Waves 6 feet (1.8 meter) above normal hit Talcahuano near Concepcion 23 minutes after the quake, then inundated the village of San Juan Bautista on Robinson Crusoe Island, 410 miles (660 kilometers) off the Chilean coast. At least three people were missing on the island, said Ivan de la Maza, superintendent of Chile's prinicipal port zone.
"There was a big wave that covered half of the village," said de la Maza, who is responsible for the island's port as well.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/lt_chile_...VnZXF1YWtlaGl0


(CNN) -- Sirens sounded early Saturday morning across Hawaii, warning people of a possible tsunami and telling people to in coastal areas to evacuate.
The sirens sounded at 6 a.m. local time (11 a.m. ET/1600 GMT) to warn of a potential tsunami triggered by a 8.8-magnitude earthquake in Chile.
The siren systems in each county are sounding to "to alert residents and visitors to evacuate coastal areas," Hawaii's Civil Defense Division said in a statement.
"Residents will be advised by their respective country civil defense or emergency management agencies to evacuate coastal areas."
The earliest estimated arrival for a wave that could affect Hawaii is 11:05 a.m. local time.

Continued at: http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americ...aii/index.html


Take good care out there