Thursday, Sep 17th 2015
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Tsunami alert for Hawaii and California after powerful 8.3 magnitude earthquake hits Chile, killing at least three and injuring 20 as homes collapse and 15ft waves pummel the shore
- Tsunami could hit Hawaii just after 3am local time (9am EST), experts warn
- Evacuations are taking place along the coast, including parts of Honolulu
- San Onofre beach in California may also be in the tsunami's path - although the waves are likely to be less than 1 foot if they hit there
- 15ft waves have already flooded towns in Chile
- The quake, which struck off Chile's west coast on Wednesday afternoon, was followed by several strong aftershocks
- Two women, aged 20 and 35, and a man in his 80s were killed
- At least 20 others are thought to have been injured as homes collapsed
Hawaii
and California are on alert after a tsunami warning was issued
following a powerful 8.3 magnitude earthquake struck Chile.
The
huge earthquake made buildings sway in Chile's capital Santiago, where
terrified residents were seen gathering in streets to avoid falling
debris.
Fifteen-foot waves struck the Chilean shore, flooding towns as people fled to higher ground.
The
Chilean government has confirmed the death of three people, including a
20-year-old woman who was crushed by falling rocks. At least 20 more
people have been injured.
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The huge earthquake made buildings
sway in Chile's capital Santiago, where terrified residents were seen
gathering in streets to avoid falling debris
The first tsunami waves crash against the shore in Chile, with residents urged to flee to higher ground
Police patrol a debris strewn street in Valparaiso, Chile, after the earthquake and subsequent tsunami
People were seen standing on coastal hills in Valparaiso, Chile, watching the water as they feared the worst
Danger: Evacuations were ordered in Hawaii, where a tsunami could hit shortly after 3am local time
If there is a tsunami, waves are expected to hit Hawaii shortly after 3am local time (9am EST) Thursday.
Authorities have begun ordering evacuations along the coast, including parts of Honolulu.
An
alert has also been issued for San Onofre beach in California, although
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said waves were
unlikely to be higher than a foot.'
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Officials
warned: 'Tsunami capable of producing strong currents or waves
dangerous to persons in or very near the water is expected.
'Currents
may be hazardous to swimmers... boats... and coastal structures and may
continue for many hours after the tsunami arrival. The first wave may
not be the largest.'
Pictures posted on Twitter appeared to show a tsunami hitting the coast of Chile, with waves sweeping through streets.
Thousands of people in Santiago took to the streets after the powerful earthquake struck not far away
The powerful earthquake shook Chile's capital, causing buildings to sway and people to take refuge in the streets
Hawaii is on alert after a tsunami warning was issued following a powerful 8.3 magnitude earthquake struck Chile (file picture)
Officials
ordered people to evacuate low-lying areas along the 2,400 miles of
Chile's Pacific shore, from Puerto Aysen in the south to Arica in the
north.
Fishing
boats headed out to sea and cars streamed inland carrying people to
higher ground. Santiago's main airport was evacuated as a precaution.
People were seen standing on coastal hills near the epicenter, watching the water as they feared the worst.
New Zealand - 6,000 miles from the epicenter of the earthquake - is also bracing itself to be hit by the tsunami.
The powerful earthquake shook Chile's capital, causing buildings to sway and people to take refuge in the streets.
The
Chilean government later confirmed that the victims included a
35-year-old woman who was killed by a falling roof, a 20-year-old woman
who was killed by falling rocks and a man in his 80s who had a heart
attack.
Fear on the streets: The huge tremor struck off the coast of Chile at a depth of 15.5 miles, authorities said
There were no immediate reports on any injuries in Chile, where the powerful earthquake struck this evening
Authorities
said some houses collapsed in the inland city of Illapel, about 175
miles north of Santiago. Illapel is about 34 miles east of the quake's
epicenter.
The
town's mayor, Denis Cortes, told a local television station that a
woman had been killed in the city but declined to give any details.
Electricity was knocked out, leaving the city in darkness.
'We are very scared. Our city panicked,' Cortes said.
Pictures
shared on Twitter in the immediate aftermath of the quake showed
collapsed ceilings and toppled shelves in supermarkets.
The
huge tremor struck off the coast of Chile at a depth of 15.5 miles,
authorities said, with the earthquake heard felt as far away as Buenos
Aires, Argentina.
Less
than an hour after the initial earthquake, three aftershocks all
greater than magnitudes 6.1 struck the region, the US Geological Survey
said.
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