Environmental News | Tsunami Warnings
Powerful &.& magnitude quake hits northern Chile - Tsunami warning issued
Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 14 November, 2007 : - - A powerful, 7,7-magnitude earthquake hit northern Chile on Wednesday, the United States Geological Survey reported. It said the quake, 60km deep, was centred 106km west of the town of Calama and struck at 3.40pm GMT. A tsunami warning was issued for the coast of Chile, CNN reported, but Chilean authorities discounted the chances of a tsunami.
The National Emergency Office in Chile said it had no information on any casualties but it was evaluating the impact of the quake. The quake hit an area where there are many large copper mines. State copper miner Codelco had no immediate comment on possible damages.
An airport in Antofagasta, 1 200km north of Santiago, had to evacuate staff when the cement cracked, Radio Cooperativa de Santiago reported. The northern cities of Calama and Arica lost electrical power, and panicked residents ran into the streets. The quake was initially reported at 7,8 magnitude by the agency and later verified at 7,7 on the Richter scale.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre issued a warning for Hawaii, west across the Pacific, but said the quake would cause only small non-destructive sea level changes and strong unusual currents for a few hours. "Based on all available data there is no destructive tsunami threat to Hawaii," the centre said in its advisory.
The most powerful earthquake recorded to date struck Chile on May 22 1960, measured at magnitude 9,5 and killing between 4 000 and 6 000 people. It sent a deadly tsunami racing to Hawaii, Japan, the Philippines and eastern New Zealand, among others.
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