Uncategorized

Breaking News! 8.2 magnitude earthquake struck Chile

Published

10 years ago

April 2, 2014

A mighty 8.2-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of
northern Chile late Tuesday, triggering small landslides, sapping
power, and generating a tsunami .
Four men and one woman died — two due to heart attacks and
three crushed to death, said Interior Minister Rodrigo Penailillo.
About 300 prisoners escaped from northern port city of Iquique in the
immediate aftermath, he said.
The quake struck about 8:46 p.m. local time, some 60 miles northwest
of Iquique. It had a depth of 12.5 miles, the U.S. Geological Survey
said.
Chile’s National Emergency Office tweeted Tuesday night that it was
asking everyone to evacuate the South American nation’s coast.
Residents in Antofagasta, another port city, calmly
walked through the streets to higher ground as traffic
piled up in some places.
“Many people are fearful after experiencing the
powerful earthquake in 2010, so they immediately fled
for higher ground when they heard the tsunami
warning,” said Fabrizio Guzman, World Vision
emergency communications manager in Chile.
“There have been multiple aftershocks and
communications have been cut off in many of the affected
areas. So people are waiting in the dark hills not
knowing what is to come, and hoping they will be able
to return to their homes safely.”
At one point, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center
issued several tsunami warnings. All of them, except for
Chile and Peru, were later canceled. All tsunami
watches — which once extended as far north as
Mexico’s Pacific coast — were called off as well.
Tsunami waves of more than 6 feet generated by the
earthquake washed ashore on the coast of Pisagua,
according to Victor Sardino, with the center.
Iquique, with a population of more than 200,000, saw
waves 7 feet high.