A state of emergency has been declared in Chile’s two northern regions hit by a 8.2 magnitude earthquake, which has left at least five people dead.
The quake struck at 20:46 local time (23:46 GMT) off the coast near the northern port city of Iquique, and has caused power cuts, fires, landslides, across the region, with 2.1m waves crashing against the coastline.
Tsunami warnings were in effect this morning along the Chilean coast and as far away as Hawaii.
President Michelle Bachelet has called on those affected to “to keep calm and follow instructions from the authorities”.
Tens of thousands of people have evacuated the region, causing traffic jams on all major roads.
The quake also allowed around 300 female inmates from a prison in Iquique to escape, with 26 now recaptured.
1 Comment
Hi,
Chile: Disaster declared after 8.2 magnitude earthquake. What would be America without California? The Ring of Fire or the circum-Pacific belt or the circum-Pacific seismic belt is geologically a region where 90% of the world’s earthquakes and 81% of the world’s largest earthquakes occur along. Alaska the west coast of America are exposed. I would advise the British in California to come home.