An 8.3 magnitude earthquake shook central Chile Wednesday evening, causing at least eight deaths. Millions were evacuated as small tsunami waves pounded the coast.
The government had initially issued a tsunami alert, but has since withdrawn it. “The earthquake's characteristics do not meet the necessary conditions to generate a tsunami,” posted the Ministry of the Interior’s National Emergency Office on its Twitter account Thursday morning.
SHOA INDICA QUE LAS CARACTERÍSTICAS DEL SISMO NO REÚNEN LAS CONDICIONES NECESARIAS PARA GENERAR UN TSUNAMI EN LAS COSTAS DE CHILE.
— onemichile (@onemichile)
September 17, 2015
“SHOA indicates that the characteristics of the earthquake do not meet the necessary conditions to generate a tsunami off the coast of Chile.”
President Michelle Bachelet addressed the media Thursday morning, asking Chileans to remain calm, saying the state “will use all the instruments we have to support [the country].”
"This is the eighth disaster since we have been in government," said Bachelet at a news conference. "We can say that there was a pretty quick deployment to the earthquake, we responded well ... Now comes a stage of diagnosis, to see how we can help and support the victims."
Following the quake, the government quickly issued an evacuation order for all the cities along Chile’s coast, as waves as high as 4.5 meters (15 feet) have begun hitting the shoreline, causing flooding. The evacuations have affected millions of people.The epicenter of the quake was about 225 kilometers (140 miles) northwest of the Chilean capital Santiago. According to the Associated Press, the quake was so strong it was felt across South America.
The quake caused buildings to sway and people to take refuge in the streets.
President Bachelet told the media on Wednesday evening that at least three people were killed by the powerful earthquake, but that number increased to eight by Thursday morning.
NEW VIDEO: People fill streets after massive 8.3-magnitude earthquake in Chile - http://t.co/DSBOvZ7osF pic.twitter.com/POdYZo7ON7
— Grasswire Now (@GrasswireNow)
septiembre 17, 2015
The U.S. National Weather Service also issued a tsunami warning for Hawaii. Additionally, the NWS issued a tsunami advisory for parts of the southern California coast.
A tsunami advisory for parts of the southern CA coast. No advisory for WA/OR at this time. http://t.co/GieXXPKe6l https://t.co/XxikT6f2Bi
— NWS Portland (@NWSPortland)
September 17, 2015
Coquimbo tide gage shows that significant tsunami waves still (hour+ later) arriving at coast after Mw8.3 earthquake pic.twitter.com/qz7QT1AZt5
— Jascha Polet (@CPPGeophysics)
septiembre 17, 2015
Emergency officials declared an amber alert for the Copahue volcano in the region of Bio Bio near the Argentine border, as the seismic movements have increased the volcano’s activity, possibly leading to an eruption.
In April 2014, a deadly 8.2-magnitude earthquake in northern Chile killed six people and forced a million to leave their homes in the region around Iquique.
In February 2010, an 8.8-magnitude earthquake in central-southern Chile triggered a massive tsunami, and more than 500 people died.
The strongest earthquake ever recorded was a magnitude 9.5 earthquake off Chile in 1960, according to the The Gale Encyclopedia of Science.
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