Mag 8.5--near Santiago--possible tsunami

February 27, 2010

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2010/02/27/world/international-us-quake-chile.html

8.5 - Magnitude Quake Hits Chile

By REUTERS

Published: February 27, 2010

Filed at 2:04 a.m. ET

SANTIAGO, Chile (Reuters) - A massive magnitude-8.5 earthquake struck near Concepcion, Chile, early on Saturday, the USGS reported, shaking buildings and causing blackouts in parts of the capital of Santiago.

A Reuters witness reported shaking buildings and loss of electricity in Santiago, which is north of the epicenter.

The earthquake struck 56 miles northeast of Concepcion at a depth of 34 miles at 3:34 a.m./1:34 EST/0643 GMT. The quake was initially reported at a magnitude of 8.3.

The Reuters witness reported a very strong shaking lasted for 10 to 30 seconds.

(Reporting by Alonso Soto and Doina Chiacu)

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WEAK53 PAAQ 270649TIBAK1PUBLIC TSUNAMI INFORMATION STATEMENT NUMBER 1NWS WEST COAST/ALASKA TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER PALMER AK1049 PM PST FRI FEB 26 2010...A STRONG EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED BUT A TSUNAMI IS NOTEXPECTED ALONG THE CALIFORNIA/ OREGON/ WASHINGTON/BRITISH COLUMBIA OR ALASKA COASTS...NO WARNING... NO WATCH AND NO ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FORTHESE AREAS.A TSUNAMI MAY HAVE BEEN GENERATED THAT COULD POTENTIALLYIMPACT THE U.S. WEST COAST/ BRITISH COLUMBIA AND ALASKA.THE WEST COAST/ALASKA TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER IS INVESTIGATINGTHE EVENT TO DETERMINE THE LEVEL OF DANGER. MORE INFORMATIONWILL BE ISSUED AS IT BECOMES AVAILABLE.AT 1034 PM PACIFIC STANDARD TIME ON FEBRUARY 26 AN EARTHQUAKE WITHPRELIMINARY MAGNITUDE 8.5 OCCURRED NEAR THE COAST OF CENTRAL CHILE.THE PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER IN EWA BEACH HAWAII WILL ISSUEA TSUNAMI WARNING FOR REGIONS NEAR

THE EPICENTER.MESSAGES WILL CONTINUE TO BE ISSUED HOURLY BY THEWCATWC UNTIL THE EVENT STATUS IS UPGRADED TO A WARNING OR ADVISORYOR UNTIL THE CENTER HAS DETERMINED THAT THE EVENT POSES NO THREATTO THE CALIFORNIA/ OREGON/ WASHINGTON/ BRITISH COLUMBIA ANDALASKA COASTS. SEE THE WEB SITE WCATWC.ARH.NOAA. GOV FOR BASICTSUNAMI INFORMATION - SAFETY RULES AND TSUNAMI TRAVEL TIMES.

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