LiveBlog - Earthquake in Chile (February 27)

Click ‘play’ to watch LiveStream from Chile (en Espanñol) or MSNBC’s LiveStream (in English) below that. You can scroll down to read the live-blog below those two videos. Follow us on Twitter @JShahryar.

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End of Blog for February 28

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20:55 PM (Time in Chile)

Thankfully, the tsunami spawned by Chile’s very strong earthquake caused little damage outside Chile and its outlying islands in the Pacific Ocean. The west coast of South America, islands in the South Pacific and Western North America all dodged a bullet. Although waves started by the quake are still traveling towards eastern Asia, Hawaii which lies halfway between East Asia and Western South America saw smaller waves and no significant damage was reported. The Associated Press reports on the situation and why warnings were so stern:

“We dodged a bullet,” said Gerard Fryer, a geophysicist for the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii.

The tsunami raised fears that the Pacific could fall victim to the type of killer waves that killed 230,000 people in the Indian Ocean in 2004 the morning after Christmas. During that disaster, there was little to no warning and much confusion about the impending waves. Officials said the opposite occurred after the Chile quake: They overstated their predictions for the size of the waves and the threat. “We expected the waves to be bigger in Hawaii, maybe about 50 percent bigger than they actually were,” Fryer said. “We’ll be looking at that.”

20:45 PM (Time in Chile)

Chile has so far not asked any foreign nation for aid or assistance. The central government seems to be fully functional and in control. Even though over 1.5 million homes have sustained damage during the quake, it seems unlikely that the catastrophe would even reach close to the apocalyptic earthquake that struck Haiti last month. Tens of thousands of people are likely to become homeless as a result of the quake – early assessments show.

20:40 PM (Time in Chile)

Number of dead from Chile’s earthquake now stand at 214, according to the Chilean government. Although there had been media speculation before that the death toll might rise dramatically, the government of Chile repeatedly stated that such speculation was based on flawed assessments and that the death toll was likely not going to rise into thousands overnight.

16:00 PM (Time in Chile)

For now, I will stop updates. I will restart updating in a few hours.

15:50 PM (Time in Chile)

Canada is ready to offer help to Chile. CTV reports:

The prime minister says Canada is ready to help in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake in Chile. In a statement, Stephen Harper says Canadian officials in Santiago and Ottawa are assessing the damage, and trying to determine whether any Canadians are affected.

15:47 PM (Time in Chile)

As the tsunami warning in Hawaii reaches the citizens, more people are stockpiling food, fuel and other supplies in case the tsunami causes major damage. Here are some pictures of what is going on in Hawaii right now. CLICK HERE

15:40 PM (Time in Chile)

The Ministry of Civil Defense and Emergency Management of New Zealand has just released a new advisory as the tsunami reaches the country:

Scientific advice is that a marine threat (i.e. threat to beach and small boats corresponding to wave heights less than 1 metre) exists for the entire east coasts of the North and South Islands from Puysegur around to Cape Reinga and extending south to Ahipara. Some land threat also exists with expected wave heights between 1 and 3 metres for the Chatham Islands and Banks Peninsula. There may be some observable sea level changes on parts of the west coast of both the north and south islands.

Wave height refers to maximum water level relevant to the normal sea level at the beach. This does not take tides into account. Based on historical events it is expected that the greatest wave heights will occur between 6 and 12 hours after the initial arrivals. The National Crisis Management Centre in Wellington has been activated. The Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management (MCDEM) and scientific advisors are closely monitoring the situation.

People in coastal areas should:

1. Stay off beaches
2. Stay out of the water (sea, rivers and estuaries, including boating activities)
3. Share this information with family, neighbours and friends
4. Listen to the radio and/or TV for updates
5. Follow instructions of your local Civil Defence authorities

15:35 PM (Time in Chile)

The director of the National Emergencies Office of Chile just announced that the number of dead stand at 147. That is 25 more than the last count.

15:18 PM (Time in Chile)

The Jerusalem Post reports that at least 20 Israeli citizens in Chile are unaccounted for at this moment. Read full report by CLICKING HERE.

15:14 PM (Time in Chile)

At least 209 prisoners have escaped from the main prison in Chillan according to initial reports coming in from the city. Chillan is located in the Biobío

region, which has been the most heavily affected region in Chile by the quake.

15:08 PM (Time in Chile)

Boston.com has many good pictures of the damage caused by the earthquake. You can view the pictures by CLICKING HERE. (Beware, some pictures are disturbing) A picture showing the damage done to the Museum of Fine Arts in Santiago, Chile:

15:05 PM (Time in Chile)

All college campuses on Hawaii have been closed. Surfers have been strictly cautioned to stay off the beaches. Wakiki corridor will shut down in 3 hours.

15:02 PM (Time in Chile)

US President Barack Obama is expected to make a statement about the Chile Earthquake in about an hour.

15:00 PM (Time in Chile)

The US government has confirmed that so far, no Americans have been reported missing or dead in the aftermath of the quake. Over a dozen aftershocks have now been recorded after the initial main quake.

14:55 PM (Time in Chile)

Fatalities have now been reported from the Island of  Juan Fernandez. According to initial reports, at least 3 people have been killed and 10 are missing after a large wave inundated large portions of the island’s coast. At least 3 people were also missing on Robinson Crusoe Island. Both Islands are hundreds of miles west of the Chilean mainland in the Pacific Ocean. More countries are bracing themselves for large waves. Tahiti saw a six foot surge minutes ago and the tsunami is expected to hit more areas later.

14:33 PM (Time in Chile)

Tsunami waves that hit French Polynesia were as high as 6 feet (2 meters) according to the Associated Press. However, no damage assessment is available. Also, new wiki to help in the search, rescue and info gathering has been created and uploaded. You can access the site by CLICKING HERE.

14:30 PM (Time in Chile)

The White House has issued the number for US citizens seeking information about loved ones in Chile. You can call State’s Consular Affairs Bureau on 1-888-407-4747.

14:25 PM (Time in Chile)

At least 5 people have been confirmed to have died in Viña del Mar, in Valparaíso province, north of Santiago. The Dutch Foreign Ministry issued an update on their citizens in Chile, noting that 27 Dutch nationals still remained unaccounted for.

14:20 PM (Time in Chile)

The United States Geological Survey has recorded another aftershock in Central Chile at a magnitude of 5.5 magnitude. This is the 33rd aftershock after the big quake. In other developments, Chile’s government will be updating the list of casualties in almost four hours. Until then, the number of victims of the quake remains 122.

14:10 PM (Time in Chile)

Here are the reported times of arrival of the tsunami wave in Hawaiian Islands:

Hilo: 11:05 AM

Maui: 11:35 AM

Oahu: 11:50 AM

Wave surges are expected to be 9-12 feet. Hilo airport closed at 6:00 AM Hawaii Time (Ten minutes before this update).

14:05 PM (Time in Chile)

The death toll currently remains at 122 dead and perhaps hundreds more injured. Reuters reports that it would take almost three days to assess the situation fully, however, the death toll is likely to not rise dramatically.

14:00 PM (Time in Chile)

Reports on Twitter from the Juan Fernandez Islands are grim. According to a pilot who flew over the islands, the tsunami waves have caused wide-spread destruction in a 3-kilometer (a little less than 1.4 miles) zone.

14:00 PM (Time in Chile)

BNO reports that tidal waves have been recorded off of Acapulco and Manzanillo in Mexico as the tsunami’s waves make their way north and west.

13:48 PM (Time in Chile)

News reports coming in just now indicate that the Juan Fernandez Islands – a chain of Chilean Islands in the Pacific Ocean – may have been severely hit by the tsunami. The islands are 415 miles west of the Chilean mainland and have a population of around 500 people. More news as it arrives.

13:45 PM (Time in Chile)

The United Nations has finally stepped in. Their Twitter account tweets the following:

UN system: on standby to offer rapid assistance to the Chilean government and people 

UN Secretary-General expresses his condolences

SG: closely monitoring developments, including the risk of Pacific Rim tsunamis

13:41 PM (Time in Chile)

The tsunami is expected to hit the Philippines during the following hours on February 28:

Davao [6.8N 125.7E] at around  1:25 PM

Palanan [17.1N 122.6E] at about 1:59 PM

Legaspi [13.2N 123.8E] at about  2:04 PM

13:33 PM (Time in Chile)

An earthquake registering 6.3 on the rector scale has hit close to the city of Salta in Northern Argentina, on the border with Chile. The quake’s center was reported at 15 miles north of the city of Salta. USGS confirms.

13:32 PM (Time in Chile)

Radio Celeste tweets: First tsunami wave just hit French Polynesia at Gambier and was under 1 meter. No damage

13:30 PM (Time in Chile)

Dozens of pictures uploaded by social media users in Chile. The pictures show the extent of the damage caused by the earthquake. CLICK HERE to access the pictures. I am only uploading one here:

13:25 PM (Time in Chile)

Google maps has released new maps for users to pinpoint the location of the quake and major population centers near the epicenter as well as other useful information. You can access the site by click here.

13:22 PM (Time in Chile)

A 5.1 aftershock hit Chile a few minutes ago. So far, almost three dozen aftershocks have been reported after the initial quake that registered on the rector scale at 8.8. For perspective, the quake that Haiti in January register almost 2 points less.

13:20 PM (Time in Chile)

Tsunami Warnings for the Pacific Rim indicate that the tsunami generated by the quake in Chile could cause wide-spread destruction. Scroll down to see a full list of countries and territories that are likely going to be affected by the tsunami.

13:15 PM (Time in Chile)

Tsunami Advisory is in effect for the Pacific coast of California. The initial wave of the tsunami is due to hit the US state around 1:26 PM.

13:00 PM (Time in Chile)

Chile in the past two months has been struck by more than a dozen earthquakes of which the latest earthquake is the strongest. Here’s an interactive map of the location and time-line of the quakes hitting Chile in the past two months including the recent one: CLICK HERE

12:47 PM (Time in Chile)

The National Data Buoy Center has detected a tsunami 2,900 nautical miles southeast of Hawaii. CLICK HERE to see a map of where the tsunami was detected as well as coordinates and other information.

12:34 PM (Time in Chile)

Reports from the city of Concepcion to show that the city has been the most hard-hit as a result of the earthquake. Santiago, the capital of the country, however, has also suffered damage. BNO has so far confirmed 122 deaths in Chile. Other sources are yet to confirm this. CNN reports:

The capital of Santiago lost electricity and basic services including water and telephones. Bachelet said regional hospitals had suffered damage; some were evacuated. A major bridge connecting northern and southern Chile was rendered inoperable, and the Santiago airport was shut down for at least the next 24 hours.

Chilean television showed buildings in tatters in Concepcion, with whole sides torn off. At least two buildings there were engulfed in flames, and roads in the city were broken up, video showed.

12:30 PM (Time in Chile)

White House Spokesperson today told reporters that the US was closely monitoring the tsunami threat that has emerged as a result of the strong earthquake in Central Chila. Reuters reports:

The White House said on Saturday it was closely monitoring the potential threat of a tsunami generated by a massive earthquake in Chile and said it stood ready to help Chile in its “hour of need.”Civil defense officials on the U.S. Pacific island state of Hawaii said they were preparing to start evacuations from shoreline communities.

12:15 PM (Time in Chile)

Tsunami warnings have been issued for these countries and territories so far:

American Samoa

Australia
Belau
Chuuk
Colombia
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Ecuador
El Salvador
Fiji
French Polynesia
Guam
Guatemala
Hawaii
Honduras
Howland and Baker Islands
Indonesia
Japan
Jarvis Island
Johnston Island
Kermadec Island
Kiribati
Kosrae
Marcus Island
Marshall Islands
Mexico
Midway Islands
Nauru
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Niue
Nicaragua
Northern Mariana Islands
Palmyra Island
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Peru
Philippines
Pitcairn Island
Pohnpei
Russia
Samoa
Solomon Islands
Taiwan
Tokelau
Tonga

United States (Hawaii only)

Tuvalu
Vanuatu
Wake Island
Yap

12:06 PM (Time in Chile)

@RodrigoBNO of BreakNews who is forever reliable about breaking news events tweets:

Red Cross in Geneva tells BNO News that Chilean Red Cross has word of more than 100 dead

More reports from Twitter and other social media as well as MSM suggest the number could be much higher. In the meantime, AFP reports of yet another large fire in the outskirts of Santiago. Picture below:

12:02 PM (Time in Chile)

Reports from Twitter suggest that at least a four foot high wave generated by the quake hit the cities of Coquimbo and Valparaiso in Central Chile early this morning. The damage so far could be assessed.

11:47 AM (Time in Chile)

The Ministry of Interior in Chile has issued a statement calming citizen about tsunami warnings. According to the ministries, the country was no longer in danger of being hit by any tsunamis as the waves have moved past Chile’s islands in the Pacific.

11:42 AM (Time in Chile)

A PersonFinder tool has been developed quickly by coders for use by concerned relatives and friends of Chileans and foreigners inside Chile. You can visit this link on Google to submit queries and find out information about your loved ones: http://chilepersonfinder.appspot.com/

11:36 AM (Time in Chile)

Here is a map showing when the tsunami generated by the quake will reach different regions in the Pacific Ocean:

11:27 AM (Time in Chile)

You can get information about survivors and victims from the Chilean Embassy in Caracas, Venezuela by calling one of these numbers: 9923378 / 9923378 / 9925364 / 9931538 / 9935770. You can also seek information from the Chilean consulate in the Ecuadoran city of Guayaquil by calling (+593-4) 2564619, 2562995 or e-mailing cggye2@gye.satnet.net. The Chilean Embassy in Mexico City’s phone number for information is (55)(52)52809681/82/89/98

11:24 AM (Time in Chile)

There’s bad news. New death toll: 85, according to the Chilean president. However, worse news is that that number is just from one region – Maule – out of the three that have been severely affected by the Tsunami.

11:10 AM (Time in Chile)

Emergency phone numbers inside Chile have been released. You can call (56) 568 1290  or (56) 568 1295

11:05 AM (Time in Chile)

A resident sits near the debris of a destroyed building below. More pictures from the BBC here and from VOA News here.:

11:00 AM (Time in Chile)

CNN has an uplifting report on the resilience of the people of Chile in the face of the tragedy:

10:45 AM (Time in Chile)

CNN’s Nick Valencia reports that the Contemporary Art Museum in Santiago has collapsed while the Fine Arts Museum in the city has partially collapsed.

10:40 AM (Time in Chile)

CaribNews reports/tweets:

caribnews

All U.S. Embassy personel, about 118, are accounted for, the U.S. State Dept tells BNO. U.S. State Dept tells BNO the US has no information on american casualties. A warning message has been sent to any americans on the ground.

10:35 AM (Time in Chile)

Update on Airport in Santiago: Newest reports indicate that the airport will now be closed for the next 72 hours.

10:30 AM (Time in Chile)

More news streaming out of Chile report of a dire situation in Concepcion, just 70 miles north of the epicenter of the quake. According to twitter sources, collapsed buildings can be seen in many parts of the city and communications are mostly down. CNN’s Betty Nguyen tweets:

Chile TV reporting 15-story building collapsed near epicenter. Witnesses hearing screams from people trapped inside.

10:25 AM (Time in Chile)

A picture of the damage caused by the earthquake in Santiago:

10:20 AM (Time in Chile)

If you are in the US and want to call Chile and inquire about a loved one, [5:18:50 AM] Dave Siavashi: CNN has provided the following number to call if you’re looking for people in Chile: 1-888-407-4747.

10:15 AM (Time in Chile)

ABS-CBN News reports:

Chile’s remote Robinson Crusoe Island was hit by a huge wave after a massive earthquake rocked the country and aid ships had been sent to the rescue, President Michelle Bachelet said Saturday.  The island, part of the Juan Fernandez Archipelago, lies some 700 kilometres out in the Pacific from the Chilean mainland.

10:10 AM (Time in Chile)

Two new videos from Chile, showing the impact of the quake:

10:05 AM (Time in Chile)

Dozens of buildings and bridges have collapsed in Central Chile. The death toll remains at 78 at this point. Dozens, perhaps hundreds of people might be trapped under the rubble. News is slowly trickling out.

10:00 AM (Time in Chile)

In Hawaii, waves of up to 5 meters are expected as the Tsunami travels west through the Pacific Ocean. All coasts of the island are dangerous and should be avoided. The tsunami is expected to make impact in Hawaii just past 11 AM.

9:55 AM (Time in Chile)

Concepcion University is on fire in the city of Concepcion and more images from Chile.

9:47 AM (Time in Chile)

In Concepcion – Chile’s second largest city that lay just 70 miles north of the epicenter of the quake – reports of possible wide-spread destruction abound on Twitter. Some twitterers report that many people are stuck under the rubble of collapsing building and volunteers are trying to help them out. So far, major media outlets have not confirmed this.

9:42 AM (Time in Chile)

The USGC has released a map showing exactly

9:37 AM (Time in Chile)

The deadly tsunami generated by Chile’s earthquake is going to strike the US state of Hawaii later today. If you have a loved one in Hawaii, you can pass this information about the state’s evacuation plan. Click here to view the whole schedule.

9:30 AM (Time in Chile)

The first pictures of devastation from the earthquake are slowly emerging from Chile. You can check the whole batch by CLICKING HERE. A picture from the city of Maipú also in Central Chile can be viewed HERE.

9:19 AM (Time in Chile)

The US state of Hawaii is under a Tsunami Warning right now. It is expected that the tsunami generated by the quake would hit Hawaii at around 11:00 AM. In other news, Santiago’s main airport is going to remain closed for the next 24 hours, according to Chilean officials.

9:03 AM (Time in Chile)

Tsunami warnings and advisories have been issued by most countries lying within or at the edge of the Pacific Ocean. The first wave of the Tsunami is expected to hit Chile’s Easter Island, which lies 3,510 km (2,180 mi) west of continental Chile in the Pacific Ocean and evacuations there have been ordered. Here’s a picture of the areas that will be most affected by the Tsunami generated by the earthquake from Chile:

9:00 AM (Time in Chile)

As news from Chile starts to pour in, there has been another earthquake some fifty miles east of Japan’s Okinawa Islands. Both Chile and Japan lay on geologically active zones and earthquakes strike both countries frequently.

8:56 AM (Time in Chile)

The number of dead in has now risen to 78.The number is expected to rise as more reports from different parts of Central Chile reach the center. For now, all one could do is hope the loss of life is minimal.

8:53 AM (Time in Chile)

The US Geological Survey has released a Tsunami Advisory for the West Coast of the United States. According to their website:

A Tsunami Advisory means that a tsunami capable of producing strong currents or waves dangerous to persons in or very near the water is imminent or expected. Significant, widespread inundation is not expected for areas under an advisory. Currents may be hazardous to swimmers, boats, and coastal structures and may continue for several hours after the initial wave arrival.

8:44 AM (Time in Chile)

Twitter user Elliott Yamin reports that at least 30 aftershocks have so far been felt in the Chilean capital after the initial quake.

8:36 AM ( Time in Chile)

CNN’s Nick Valencia reports that Edmundo Perez Yoma, Chile’s Interior Minister, told local station TVN that the number of dead had now climbed to 64.

Follow Nick on Twitter by CLICKING HERE.

8:33 AM (Time in Chile)

Reuters now reports that the number of deaths in Chile has gone up to 47. According to their report, communications are down in Central Chile as well as telephone lines. This has made damage assessment very difficult. For now, the damage has been assessed as being tremendous. The quake was only 70 miles south of Chile’s second largest city, Concepcion.

Full Report on Reuters, Click HERE.

8:17 AM (Time in Chile)

A magnitude 8.8 quake has hit Chile, southwest of the Chilean capital Santiago. So far, sporadic reports are coming in from different sources about the quake. What can be ascertained is that at least 16 people have died as a result of the earthquake. Extensive damage to Central Chile – which is the most populated part of the country – is expected. As more news reports come in, the Associated Press reported that Chilean president Michele Bachelet has declared a ‘state of catastrophe’ for three regions in Central Chile. The AP also adds:

In the 2 1/2 hours following the 90-second quake, the U.S. Geological Survey reported 11 aftershocks, of which five measured 6.0 or above. The quake hit 200 miles (325 kilometers) southwest of the capital, Santiago, at a depth of 22 miles (35 kilometers) at 3:34 a.m. (0634 GMT; 1:34 a.m. EST), the U.S. Geological Survey reported…

There has been a tsunami warning issued for all the countries on the west coast of South America as well as some in Central America and others in Eastern Asia.

Quick Facts about Chile:

Location: West of Argentina in Southwestern South America.

Area: 292,183 square miles or roughly the size of the US states of Texas and Oklahoma combined.

Population: Over 17 million, most concentrated in the central part of the country.

Official language: Spanish

Capital and Largest City: Santiago

As more news comes in, I will update as quickly as I can.