A powerful earthquake has hit central Chile, causing buildings to sway in the capital Santiago, officials say.
The 8.3-magnitude tremor was centred off the coast, about 144 miles (232km) north-west of the capital. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warned that "widespread hazardous tsunami waves are possible".
One person was killed by a falling wall, and evacuation was ordered in coastal areas. Tsunami sirens were heard in the port of Valparaiso.
Chilean officials say the earthquake has produced waves of up to 4.5 metres (15 feet) along the coast in the region of Coquimbo.
The earthquake struck just off the coast at 19:54 local times (22:54 GMT), about 55km west of the city of Illapel, the US Geological Survey said.
Officials said it was at the depth of about 10km.
The US Geological Survey initially reported the tremor as magnitude 7.9, but then quickly revised the reading to 8.3.
Several strong aftershocks were reported just minutes later.
Illapel Mayor Denis Cortes reported that one person was killed by a collapsing wall, and 15 other people were injured.
Some homes were reportedly damaged in the city.
"Tsunami waves reaching more than three metres above the tide level are possible along some coasts of Chile," the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warned.
The earthquake struck as thousands of Chileans have been travelling to the coast ahead of a week of celebrations of the national holidays, or Fiestas Patrias.
Tsunami alerts were also issued for Peru, Hawaii, parts of California and as far away as New Zealand.
New Zealand authorities warned of unusually strong currents and unpredictable water flows, reported local media. At least one school has evacuated.
The quake was also strongly felt in some Argentine provinces like Mendoza and in the capital Buenos Aires several buildings were evacuated, the BBC's Ignacio de los Reyes reports.
Chile is one of the most seismically active locations on the globe.
It runs along the boundary between the Nazca and South American tectonic plates. These are vast slabs of the Earth's surface that grind past each other at a rate of up to 80mm per year.
In February 2010, a 8.8-magnitude struck off central Chile, killing more than 500 people.
BBC
17/9/15
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Magnitude Mw 8.2
Region OFFSHORE COQUIMBO, CHILE
Date time 2015-09-16 22:54:32.0 UTC
Location 31.57 S ; 71.61 W
Depth 20 km
Distances:
228 km NW of Santiago, Chile / pop: 4,837,295 / local time: 19:54:32.0 2015-09-16
163 km N of Valparaíso, Chile / pop: 282,448 / local time: 19:54:32.0 2015-09-16
43 km W of Illapel, Chile / pop: 22,816 / local time: 19:54:32.0 2015-09-16
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M8.3 - 46km W of Illapel, Chile
Time
2015-09-16 22:54:33 (UTC)
2015-09-17 01:54:33 (UTC+03:00) in your timezone
Times in other timezones
Nearby Cities
46km (29mi) W of Illapel, Chile
68km (42mi) WNW of Salamanca, Chile
105km (65mi) NNW of La Ligua, Chile
116km (72mi) SSW of Ovalle, Chile
229km (142mi) NNW of Santiago, Chile
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A powerful magnitude-8.3 earthquake hit off Chile's northern coast Wednesday night, causing buildings to sway in the capital of Santiago and bringing flooding from small tsunami waves in some shore towns...
ReplyDeleteOfficials reported three deaths. There were no reports of serious damage hours after the quake, but officials were still checking the region late into the night.
Authorities had issued a tsunami alert for Chile's entire Pacific coast, and the tremor was so strong that people on the other side of the continent, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, reported feeling it.........AP........ctvnews.ca
Powerful Chile quake kills two, sparks tsunami alert....
ReplyDeleteA massive 8.3-magnitude earthquake struck the centre of Chile on Wednesday, triggering the evacuation of coastal areas and warnings that tsunami waves could reach as far as Japan.
At least two people were killed and 10 hurt in Chile, where thousands of terrified residents rushed out onto the streets in the capital Santiago. The quake was felt as far away as Argentina, where buildings also swayed.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) put the shallow offshore quake at a magnitude of 8.3 and said it hit just 228 kilometres north of Santiago, a city of 6.6 million people.
The quake, which struck at 7.54 pm, hit at a depth of eight kilometres, USGS said. Seismologists also reported two aftershocks, both above 6.0.
The Chilean government put the main earthquake at 8.0 on the Richter scale..........AFP
A woman was killed in Illapel when the quake caused a restaurant wall to collapse, Denis Cortes, the city mayor said in an interview with the 24 Horas TV channel, adding that 12-15 others were injured...
ReplyDeleteThe 8.3-magnitude earthquake hit the Coquimbo Region, located about 500 kilometers (310 miles) from Chile’s capital Santiago, at around 22:54 GMT on Wednesday, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). Its epicenter was located at a depth of 12.5 kilometers (7.7 miles).
USGS first put the quakes magnitude at 7.9, later revising it to 8.3..........http://sptnkne.ws/KpS
New Zealanders have being warned to stay away from coastal areas on many parts of the east of the country as a tsunami alert has been activated in the wake of the earthquake in Chile Thursday...
ReplyDeleteThe Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management (MCDEM) issued a tsunami warning for East Cape, Chatham Islands, Coromandel and Banks Peninsula.
People in the coastal areas have been warned to stay out of the water, including the sea, rivers and estuaries, including boating activities, and to stay off beaches and shore areas.
They have also been warned against sightseeing.
The tsunami warning would remain in effect until a cancellation message was issued by MCDEM.
http://www.china.org.cn/environment/2015-09/17/content_36609355.htm
Séisme de magnitude 8,3 au Chili: 5 morts, un million de personnes évacuées ...
ReplyDeleteUn million de personnes ont été évacuées en raison d'une alerte au tsunami déclenchée après un violent séisme mercredi soir dans le centre du Chili, séisme qui a fait au moins cinq morts et un disparu. Les personnes décédées sont deux femmes et trois hommes. Une grande partie des personnes évacuées ont été transférées vers les zones plus élevées des villes côtières.
"Le plus fort tremblement de terre pour 2015 à l'échelle mondiale"
"Nous déplorons le décès de cinq citoyens chiliens (...). Nous évaluons le nombre d'évacués à un million de personnes", a indiqué le sous-secrétaire du ministère de l'Intérieur, Mahmoud Aleuy.
Mahmoud Aleuy a précisé que l'état de catastrophe avait été prononcé pour la province de Choapa, où se situe l'épicentre du séisme d'une magnitude de 8,3 selon l'Institut américain de géologie (USGS). "Il s'agit du sixième tremblement de terre le plus fort de l'histoire du Chili, et du plus fort pour 2015 à l'échelle mondiale", a souligné le responsable du ministère.
L'île de Pâques évacuée
La Marine chilienne a lancé une alerte au tsunami pour l'ensemble des 4000 km de côtes du pays, bordé par l'océan Pacifique. L'ordre d'évacuation des habitants des villes côtières était maintenu dans la nuit, à l'exception des régions de Los Lagos, Aysen et Magallanes, dans le sud.
L'île de Pâques, à 3750 kilomètres au large, devait elle aussi être évacuée, tandis qu'une alerte au tsunami était émise dans le Pacifique, côté asiatique, concernant surtout la Polynésie française.
Sur la côte du Chili, des grandes vagues ont atteint le centre de plusieurs villes, dans la région de Coquimbo où a eu lieu le séisme et dans celle de Valparaiso, à 120 kilomètres à l'ouest de la capitale, selon des images de la télévision.
"Même s'il y a bien eu un tsunami, les dernières séries de vagues sont en diminution, mais nous savons qu'il peut y avoir des répliques et donc nous devons continuer à évaluer minute par minute la situation", a déclaré la présidente Michelle Bachelet.......http://www.rtbf.be/info/monde/amerique-du-sud/detail_alerte-au-tsunami-au-chili-apres-un-tres-fort-seisme?id=9082267
M6.3 - 52km W of Illapel, Chile....local time: 02:39....2015-09-21 05:39:33 (UTC)...
ReplyDeleteDepth 20 km
Nearby Cities
52km (32mi) W of Illapel, Chile
73km (45mi) WNW of Salamanca, Chile
106km (66mi) NNW of La Ligua, Chile
119km (74mi) SSW of Ovalle, Chile
230km (143mi) NNW of Santiago, Chile
21/9/15
M 6.5 - COQUIMBO, CHILE - 2015-09-21 17:39:57 UTC......local time: 14:39....
ReplyDeleteMagnitude Mw 6.5
Region COQUIMBO, CHILE
Date time 2015-09-21 17:39:57.2 UTC
Location 31.71 S ; 71.47 W
Depth 12 km
Distances
209 km N of Santiago, Chile / pop: 4,837,295 / local time: 14:39:57.2 2015-09-21
148 km N of Valparaíso, Chile / pop: 282,448 / local time: 14:39:57.2 2015-09-21
30 km W of Illapel, Chile / pop: 22,816 / local time: 14:39:57.2 2015-09-21
http://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=460695
21/9/15
Ισχυρή σεισμική δόνηση μεγέθους 6,5 βαθμών σημειώθηκε απόψε στη Χιλή και το επίκεντρό της εντοπίστηκε σε απόσταση 143 χιλιομέτρων βόρεια-βορειοδυτικά του Βαλπαραΐσο, ανακοίνωσε η αμερικανική γεωολογική υπηρεσία USGS.
ReplyDeleteΜάρτυρες τους οποίους επικαλείται το πρακτορείο Ρόιτερς είπαν ότι ο σεισμός έγινε ιδιαίτερα αισθητός στην πρωτεύουσα Σαντιάγο.
Ισχυρή σεισμική δόνηση μεγέθους 6,5 βαθμών σημειώθηκε τη Δευτέρα στη Χιλή, με το επίκεντρό της να εντοπίζεται σε απόσταση 143 χιλιομέτρων βόρεια - βορειοδυτικά του Βαλπαραΐσο, ανακοίνωση η αμερικανική γεωλογική υπηρεσία USGS...
DeleteΣύμφωνα με μάρτυρες τους οποίους επικαλείται το πρακτορείο Reuters, ο σεισμός έγινε ιδιαίτερα αισθητός στην πρωτεύουσα Σαντιάγο.
Η δόνηση εντάσσεται στη μετασεισμική ακολουθία του σεισμού των 8,3 Ρίχτερ, που έπληξε την ίδια περιοχή την περασμένη Τετάρτη, σύμφωνα με το USGS.
Πηγές: ΑΜΠΕ, Reuters
A powerful earthquake measuring 6.5 in magnitude struck off Chile 89 miles (143 km) north north-west of the port of Valparaiso, the U.S. Geological Survey said on Monday...
DeleteThe quake, the latest in a series of aftershocks since a massive 8.3 quake hit in the same area last Wednesday and generated a destructive tsunami, was at a depth of 20.5 miles (33 km), USGS said in a statement.
Witnesses said the latest earthquake shook buildings in the capital Santiago. Thirteen people died as a result of Wednesday's quake and an ensuing tsunami.
Reuters
Nuevo temblor en Chile, esta vez de 6.2 grados en la escala Richter...
ReplyDeleteSegún el Centro Sismológico Nacional chileno el movimiento ocurrió a las 04:13 y su magnitud fue 6,2 en la escala de Richter, mientras que la ubicación fue determinada a 18 Kms al Norte de Illapel, capital de la Provincia de Choapa, en la Región de Coquimbo.
El temblor afectó las regiones de Atacama, Coquimbo, Valparaíso, Metropolitana de Santiago de Chile, Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins y Maule, indicó en su portal la Oficina Nacional de Emergencia del Ministerio del Interior chileno (Onemi).
Por su parte, el Servicio Hidrográfico y Oceanográfico de la Armada de Chile (SHOA), informó que "las características del sismo no reúnen las condiciones necesarias para generar tsunami en las costas de Chile".
http://www.telam.com.ar/notas/201509/120854-sismo-chile.html
22/9/15