Live-blog: Massive 8.8 Magnitude Earthquake in Chile, Tsunami Warnings Issued

This is a live-blog report on an earthquake that has struck Chili near Santiago. As we get information, we will post it here.

[3:00PM Pacific Time]

The death toll in Chile is now 214 people.

Google has launched a resource to help find people in Chile: Chile Person Finder.

The first big waves are hitting Hawaii now, with Maui apparently getting the highest wave height. A useful resource for information on Hawaii, with live video feed: Hawaii Tsunami Information.

[5:25AM Pacific Time]

We will be pausing our live-blog for a few hours.

Josh Shahryar is continuing to live-blog here, and Scott Lucas of Enduring America is live-blogging here.

[5:15AM Pacific Time]

From Enduring America’s live-blog:

Civil Defense Tsunami Evacuation Zones for Oahu

CNN has provided the following number to call if you’re looking people in Chile: 1-888-407-4747.

[5:00AM Pacific Time]

The earthquake struck at about 3:30AM in Chile, when the majority of people would have been asleep. This does not bode well, as it may mean more people trapped in buildings, and more casualties.

To put things in perspective, the earthquake that struck Chile was somewhere between 800 to 900 times the power of the quake that hit Haiti.

According to CNN, tsunami warning being issued for entire Pacific Basin.

At least 78 confirmed dead so far.

Reports of people trapped in buildings.

[4:43AM Pacific Time]

CNN reports parts of Hawaii to be evacuated. Civil defense to blare Tsunami evacuation sirens at 6:00AM Hawaii time. Tsunami expected to hit at approximately 11:00am.

Josh Shahryar provided us with this link, showing the epicenter of the Chilean earthquake:

Another map pic:

[4:33AM Pacific Time]

Reports of multiple buildings having collapsed, including at least one report of a 15 story building.

Josh Shahryar provided us with this link to a page containing photos from Chile.

Here is one of them:

[4:06AM Pacific Time]

Josh Shahryar gave us a heads up on this image. This is the potential Tsunami zone. Unbelievable.

CNN has reported that the wave is up to 16 feet along the Chilean shoreline!

[3:44AM Pacific Time]

Elliott Yamin, a former contestant on American Idol is in Chile. So far, he is the only person I’m aware of on the scene in Chile. Three hours ago he reported that the Chilean Army has asked people to stay put for now. He reported at least one strong aftershock (CNN has reported multiple aftershocks). He also has reported that the Santiago airport is closed, having been reduced to rubble. This is worrying as it may impede emergency aid. Elliot reports that he is a diabetic and only has enough insulin to last him till Sunday. Let’s hope aid gets in quickly.

CNN reports that an advisory has been issued of high waves for the west coast of North America now. It has not been elevated to a Tsunami warning, like for the west coast of South America though.

It is coming up to 9:00am in Chile now.

Here is a live stream from Chilean TV.

Yahoo reports:

A massive magnitude-8.8 earthquake struck south-central Chile early on Saturday, killing at least 47 people, knocking down buildings and triggering a tsunami.

President Michelle Bachelet confirmed 47 deaths and said more were possible. Telephone and power lines were down, making damage assessments difficult in the early morning darkness.

“Never in my life have I experienced a quake like this, it’s like the end of the world,” one man told local television from the city of Temuco, where the quake damaged buildings and forced staff to evacuate the regional hospital.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake struck 56 miles northeast of the city of Concepcion at a depth of 22 miles at 3:34 a.m. (1:34 a.m. ET).

Chilean television and radio stations said several buildings collapsed in the city of Curico and that there was damage to buildings in the historic center of the capital Santiago, about 200 miles north of the epicenter.

The capital’s international airport was forced to close, a highway bridge collapsed and chunks of buildings fell into the street.

In the moments after the quake, people streamed onto the streets of the capital, hugging each other and crying.

There were blackouts in parts of Santiago and communications were still down in the area closest to the epicenter.

Bachelet urged people to stay calm. “With a quake of this size we undoubtedly can’t rule out more deaths and probably injuries,” she said.

An earthquake of magnitude 8 or over can cause “tremendous damage,” the USGS says. The quake that devastated Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince on January 12 was rated magnitude 7.0.

TSUNAMI

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the Chile quake generated a tsunami that may have been destructive along the coast near the epicenter “and could also be a threat to more distant coasts.”

It issued a tsunami warning for Chile and Peru, and a tsunami watch for Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica and Antarctica. Chile’s navy said officials had lifted the tsunami warning in southern Chile, local radio reported.

Josh Shahryar has announced that he will be live-blogging the earthquake also. Follow his live-blog here.

[3:03AM Pacific Time]

Reports of a massive earthquake hitting Chile, near Santiago, are flooding the Internet. Tsunami warnings are coming out for multiple countries in the Pacific. We are going to list the countries that we are aware of that have received warnings shortly. Reported wave over two meters is moving towards the west coast of South America. So far, CNN has confirmed 47 known deaths so far.

We are monitoring the social media for breaking news and information.

Here is a CNN report on the earthquake:

There is also a report of a 7.3 magnitude earthquake in Japan.

So far, we are aware of Tsunami warnings for the following:

– Chile, Peru, entire west coast of South America
– Australia
– Japan
– Hawaii