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Tsunami Warning from Chile's 8.8 Earthquake Triggering Evacuations

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Sat, 2010-02-27 10:07 — mdmcdonald

Chile earthquake: tsunami warnings trigger evacuations across Pacific
The devastating earthquake in Chile has triggered a tsunami which is radiating across the Pacific and has already caused serious damage on the islands said to have inspired Robinson Crusoe.

By David Barrett
Published: 1:37PM GMT 27 Feb 2010
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Chile's President Michelle Bachelet declares a 'state of catastrophe' Photo: AP
Michelle Bachelet, the Chilean President, said an evacuation of coastal areas on Easter Island, the Chilean territory famous for its monumental statues, was under way as the tsunami was expected to make landfall there imminently.
British experts said a tsunami was now radiating from the epicentre towards Hawaii and other settlements on the Pacific Ring of Fire.

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The extent of the tsunami's ferocity is not yet known, but it has already reached the southern Juan Fernandez Islands, about 400 miles off the coast of Chile, where it was reported to have caused "serious damage".
The islands include one named after Robinson Crusoe, Daniel Defoe's protagonist, and another named after Alexander Selkirk, the Scottish sailor whose real life experiences as a castaway are said to have inspired the 1719 novel.
An alert was issued by the US Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre which predicted damage to the Hawaiian coast from 9pm GMT today.
"Urgent action should be taken to protect lives and property," the centre said in a bulletin. "All shores are at risk no matter which direction they face."
The centre had earlier issued a tsunami warning for Chile and Peru, and a tsunami watch for Ecuador, Colombia, Antarctica, all of Central America and French Polynesia.
New Zealand also issued a tsunami alert, warning of a wall of water up to 10 feet high, with landfall due there at just after 6pm GMT.

For More Information:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/chile/7331231/Chile-earthquake-tsunami-warnings-trigger-evacuations-across-Pacific.html

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Sat, 2010-02-27 17:25 — Liliana Santirso

Hundreds of people are heading to higher ground on low-lying Tuvalu, as a tsunami warning grips the Pacific after a massive earthquake in Chile.

On low lying Funafuti, capital of Tuvalu, hundreds of people crammed into upstairs floors of double story buildings, and the new Government Building.

"Its the only place people can go," a police officer told Stuff.

"And we've got the high tides as well."

http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/south-pacific/3384845/Tsunami-fear-in-Tuvalu

Sat, 2010-02-27 17:30 — Liliana Santirso

The normally placid harbour at the Northland charter boat port of Tutukaka turned into a 'washing machine'.

"The wave was approximately one metre. It sucks out and comes in. It takes a couple of minutes. They are very long waves," Jeroen Jongejans, who runs Dive Tutukaka, said from his boat near the harbour entrance.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/3384728/Tsunami-alert-for-New-Zealand-after-massive-Chile-quake

Sat, 2010-02-27 17:39 — Liliana Santirso

People heading to the beach to watch the tsunami are crazy, says the coastguard.

Coastguard Northern Region duty officer John Cowan, said today people heading to the beach should turn around and head the other way.

The tsunami warning for the east coast had little effect on many people on Auckland's North Shore who continued to head to the beach and head to sea in their boats.

Two women having coffee on Milford Beach said they had a good vantage point and another woman about to head out on a walk to Takapuna Beach said she had her flippers.

However, Mr Cowan said the warning should be heeded and people should head to high ground.

"Stay away from the beaches. Don't go out on the water and if you are already out on the water up anchor and head to deeper water at least half a mile off shore."

Mr Cowan said the predicted metre high wave should not be a problem for many boaties provided they were prepared.

They should head into deeper water of at least 20 metres.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/3384982/Many-Kiwis-ignore-tsunami-warnings

Sat, 2010-02-27 18:05 — Liliana Santirso

The tsunami caused by the earthquake in Chile has hit the Marquesas islands in the north of French Polynesia with waves up to four metres high.
There are no reports of casualties or major damage.

A scientist has told RFO radio in Papeete that the difference between the lowest and high watermark in Hiva Oa had been measured at four metres.

Residents reported at least four big waves pushing in and the sea again retreating.

The waves were reported to have been strengthening, with unusual swirls and rips.

The measurement for Tahiti is 40cm.

Several waves have passed other islands in French Polynesia without causing any major damage.

RFO radio in Papeete reports that a wave less than one metre high has passed the eastern Gambier islands.

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/stories/2010/02/28/1247f2f3d955

Sat, 2010-02-27 18:10 — Liliana Santirso

Island nations in the Pacific have been on tsunami alert, with the King of Tonga opening the gates to the grounds of his royal home to let people shelter there.

The tsunami warning was put in place for the Pacific region following the magnitude 8.8 earthquake that hit Chile on Saturday evening.

The effects of the tsunami were estimated to hit islands across the Pacific from about 7am.

King Siaosi Tupou V, in an unusual move, opened the gates of his royal home outside Nuku'alofa, which is one of the highest points in the island kingdom.

The tsunami was expected to arrive in Nukualofa at about 8:40am NZ time.

Meanwhile, in the Cook Islands, police woke up locals and tourists in the early morning to move them to higher ground.

The tsunami was expected to arrive at Rarotonga at 7:42am and there were reports of an approximately 30-cm rise in sea level.

http://tvnz.co.nz/world-news/tsunami-warnings-in-place-pacific-islands-3384458

Sun, 2010-02-28 04:34 — Liliana Santirso

Tsunamis from the deadly 8.8-magnitude earthquake in Chile rippled across the Japanese coast Sunday, appearing to get taller with every wave.

The first one, a 4-inch wave, hit Minami Torishima, according to the Japanese meteorological agency. Minami Torishima is a small island in the Pacific Ocean.

A few more waves later, the tallest one yet at about 4 feet hit the Kuji Port in Hokkaido, the meteorological agency said.

Tens of thousands of residents evacuated Sunday morning from coastal Japan in anticipation of a possible tsunami after the earthquake. Authorities urged evacuees to stay away because a second and third round of waves could gain strength.

The northern part of the main island could be hit by a tsunami at least 9 feet high, according to the meteorological agency.

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/02/28/japan.tsunami/index.html?hpt=T1

Sun, 2010-02-28 04:46 — Liliana Santirso

WASHINGTON — Google on Saturday quickly activated an online "person finder" tool to allow relatives and friends to find loved ones following the huge earthquake in Chile.

The "Person Finder: Chile Earthquake" from the California-based Internet giant is located at Chilepersonfinder.appspot.com and offers users the choice of using it in English and Spanish.

It asks users "What is your situation?" and gives them the choice between "I'm looking for someone" and "I have information about someone."

Users can then search records by name or input information about someone.

As of 1:15 pm (1815 GMT) Saturday, Google's "person finder" was tracking around 1,400 records.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5j543mXz9g3wxrnAgd9Mxk5sKFXDA

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