Deadly Earthquake Strikes Near Iquique, Chile; Tsunami Warnings Remain for Chile and Peru

By: Associated Press

Published: April 1,2014

 

 

 

 

A powerful magnitude-8.2 earthquake struck off Chile's northern coast Tuesday night, causing landslides that blocked roads and setting off a small tsunami that forced an evacuation of coastal areas, but the region apparently escaped major damage and casualties.In the city of Arica, 86 miles from the quake's epicenter, minor injuries were reported and some homes made of adobe were destroyed, officials said. The quake shook modern buildings in nearby Peru and in Bolivia's high altitude capital of La Paz.
The U.S. Geological Survey initially reported the quake at 8.0, but later upgraded the magnitude. It said the quake struck 61 miles northwest of the Chilean city of Iquique at 8:46 p.m., hitting a region that has been rocked by numerous quakes over the past two weeks.

Earthquake Magnitude

 

Current Tsunami Alerts

 Psychiatrist Ricardo Yevenes said he was with a patient in Arica when the quake hit. "It quickly began to move the entire office, things were falling," he told local television. "Almost the whole city is in darkness." The quake was so strong that the shaking experienced in Bolivia's capital about 290 miles (470 kilometers) away was the equivalent of a 4.5-magnitude tremor, authorities there said.At least eight strong aftershocks followed in the first few hours, including a 6.2 tremor. More aftershocks and even a larger quake could not be ruled out, said seismologist Mario Pardo at the University of Chile.
Chilean Interior Minister Rodrigo Penailillo said President Michelle Bachelet was closely watching the situation and was ready to take "any measures" to ensure people's safety. Hundreds of soldiers were being deployed in the quake zone, and a flight would be leaving soon with 100 special forces on board, he added.
"We have taken action to ensure public order in the case of Iquique, where we've had a massive escape of more than 300 female prisoners from the Iquique jail, so that the armed forces and police can coordinate and provide tranquility and security to the residents," he said.
Some roads in northern Chile were blocked by landslides, causing traffic jams among people leaving the coast. At least two fires were reported in Iquique, according to Chilean Financial Journal Online. The local airport was closed because of structural damaged, the Journal said.  Coastal residents of northern Chile evacuated calmly as waves measuring almost 6.5 struck their cities.Evacuations also were ordered in Peru, where waves 2 meters above normal forced about 200 people to leave the seaside town of Boca del Rio. But there were no injuries or major damage, said Col. Enrique Blanco, the regional police chief in Tacna, a Peruvian city of 300,000 near the Chilean border. "The lights went out briefly, but were re-established," Blanco said.
But there were no injuries or major damage, said Col. Enrique Blanco, the regional police chief in Tacna, a Peruvian city of 300,000 near the Chilean border. "The lights went out briefly, but were re-established," Blanco said.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued an alert for all of Latin America's Pacific coast, all of which have since been cancelled with the exception of Chile and Peru. A tsunami warning remains in effect for Chile and Peru.
Chile is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries. A magnitude-8.8 quake and ensuing tsunami in central Chile in 2010 killed more than 500 people, destroyed 220,000 homes, and washed away docks, riverfronts and seaside resorts.The strongest earthquake ever recorded on Earth also happened in Chile -- a magnitude-9.5 tremor in 1960 that killed more than 5,000 people.
Hundreds of earthquakes have shaken Chile's far-northern coast in the past two weeks, keeping people on edge as scientists said there was no way to tell if the unusual string of tremors was a harbinger of an impending disaster.The latest activity began with a strong magnitude-6.7 quake on March 16 that caused more than 100,000 people to briefly evacuate low-lying areas. Hundreds of smaller quakes followed in the weeks since, keeping people on edge as scientists said there was no way to tell if the unusual string of tremors was a harbinger of an impending disaster.
Chile is the world's leading copper producing nation, and most of its mining industry is in the northern regions. Top mining companies said there was no serious damage to their operations so far.

Potential U.S. Impacts?

U.S. officials say they've found no threat of a tsunami along the coasts of Alaska, California, Oregon or Washington, but the danger to Hawaii is still under evaluation.
Bill Knight, a scientist at the National Tsunami Warning Center, says early data show that by the time waves generated the magnitude-8.2 quake reach the West Coast, they'll be too small to pose any threat. Hawaii faces greater potential danger, but analysts are still assessing the threat and no warning has been issued. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center says if tsunami waves are generated, the earliest they'd hit Hawaii is 3:24 a.m. Wednesday Hawaii Standard Time. Elsewhere in the Pacific, New Zealand has issued a statement of "no threat" to the country due to the situation. The country of the Philippines states that they are monitoring the threat, but no evacuation orders have been given at this time. Japan is still evaluating the threat, but no tsunami alerts have been issued.This is a breaking news situation. Please check back for updates.

8.2 Earthquake Rocks Chile

A massive earthquake off the coast of Chile has sparked tsunami warnings for the entire Pacific Coast of Latin America.

#Chile ATTN! MT @INFORMADORCHILE Se informa que en la playa de #Cartagena se está recogiendo el mar. pic.twitter.com/nfsYy1gffz |#Teremoto

Evacuan a enfermos

 

 

 

 

  BBC World Service        ✔ @bbcworldservice Follow

"I was on my bed, the room was shaking," local in Chile tells #BBCNewsday what earthquake felt like http://bbc.in/1foIIFh 

10:09 PM - 1 Apr 2014

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The Weather Channel        ✔ @weatherchannel Follow

Philippine authorities say NO threat of #tsunami in the Philippines from the M8.2 #earthquake near Chile (PDF file): http://wxch.nl/1icBjrf 

9:09 PM - 1 Apr 2014