a magnitude 8.3 earthquake rattled Chile on Wednesday with an epicenter about 55 km off the coast. The quake was felt in Chile’s capital Santiago as skyscrapers were sent swaying, according to the BBC. Little news has surfaced regarding the damage or the casualties from the tremor. But the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center released this statement: “Tsunami waves reaching more than three metres above the tide level are possible along some coasts of Chile.”
A tsunami alert has also been issued for Hawaii by the National Weather Service. If tsunamis do arrive in the Hawaiian Islands, the earliest wave would appear at 3:06 a.m. HST, according to ABC.
At least three after-shocks were felt along the Chilean coast with magnitudes of 6.0 and above. In the minutes following the quake, officials ordered residents to get to higher ground as tsunami sirens sounded in the port of Valparaiso.
In 2010, Chile was rocked by a magnitude 8.8 quake not too far from this one. The tremor and the ensuing tsunami killed over 500 people, destroyed over 200,000 homes and caused an estimated $15-$30 billion in damage. A tsunami warning for Hawaii was also issued during the 2010 quake though it was ultimately cancelled.
