Five dead, one million evacuated from Chile quake site

The government canceled tsunami warnings for its entire seaboard on Thursday morning.

And a February 27, 2010 quake that struck just off the coast of Chile’s Maule region measured 8.8 in magnitude, making it one of the largest ever recorded.

Both areas have been declared catastrophe zones by the Chilean president, Michelle Bachelet, and images and videos showed scenes of devastation where the tsunami hit. “Once again we have to confront a tough blow from nature”, Bachelet said in a reference to her nation’s long history of quakes.

Operations were suspended at two major copper mines operated by Codelco and Antofagasta PLC, which generate an annual capacity of more than 600,000 tons. The area experiences frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

He said the government sends its condolences to their relatives. In Buenos Aires, Argentina, car alarms started to harmonize. Santiago’s main airport was evacuated as a precaution, . There have been at least 30 aftershocks in central part of Chile.

The advisory warned of expected strong currents that could prove “hazardous to swimmers, boats and coastal structures”.

After the initial quake late Wednesday night, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) issued a series of warnings for low-lying island states across the Pacific, including Hawaii and French Polynesia.

Beaches in Orange and Los Angeles counties were closed overnight after a Tsunami advisory was issued from along the coast from San Clemente to about 50 miles north of San Luis Obispo.

According to the Associated Press, the quake was so strong it was felt across South America.

A 26-year-old woman was killed by a collapsing wall in Illapel and another person died from a heart attack in Santiago, according to media reports.

The city of Illapel, the closest to the earthquake’s epicenter, was hit the hardest.

People stand inside a home destroyed by an earthquake-triggered tsunami in Concon, Chile.

A tsunami advisory was issued for the coastal areas of Southern California, which means strong currents are likely and residents should stay away from the shore.

The coastal town of Coquimbo was hit by waves of up to 4.5 meters (15 feet) after the earthquake, Chile’s navy said. We have residential neighbourhoods that have flooded.

Residents reported looting of evacuated houses in Los Vilos, another seaside town, its mayor said. No injuries were reported outside of Chile.

“SHOA indicates that the characteristics of the earthquake do not meet the necessary conditions to generate a tsunami off the coast of Chile”.

In April 2014, a deadly 8.2-magnitude earthquake in northern Chile killed six people and forced a million to leave their homes in the region around Iquique.