Chile rattled by huge 8.8 magnitude earthquake, at least 122 killed

http://www.timesofearth.com/Technolog... -A massive 8.8 magnitude quake hits central Chile, north-east of the city of Concepcion, killing at least 122 people A massive magnitude earthquake has struck Chile, producing powerful aftershocks and causing the deaths of at least 122 people. The 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck early on Saturday near the city of Concepcion in Chile, triggering a tsunami. The earthquake struck 92km northeast of Concepcion at a depth of 63km at 3:34am local time (06:43 GMT) and 320km southwest of Santiago, the capital. The quake, which lasted for one minute, shook buildings and caused blackouts as far away as Santiago. Its magnitude was reported at 8.3 and 8.5, then fixed by the US Geological Survey (USGS) at 8.8, the country's largest in 25 years. The quake was felt in Argentina as well. The US centre also recorded eight aftershocks, the largest measuring 6.9 magnitude at 08:01 GMT. Panic-stricken people swarmed the streets of Santiago, more than 320km north of the epicentre, a Reuters witness reported. Michelle Bachelet, the outgoing president, has declared a "state of catastrophe" and warned that more deaths were possible. "I want to call on all the people of chile to remain calm ... There have been some aftershocks, but so far our national organisations are still up and running," she said. A tsunami warning was issued for Chile and Peru by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre, and a less-urgent tsunami watch was issued for Ecuador, Colombia, Antarctica, Panama and Costa Rica. "Sea level readings indicate a tsunami was generated. It may have been destructive along coasts near the earthquake epicentre and could also be a threat to more distant coasts," the centre said. The US west coast tsunami warning centre said it did not expect a tsunami along the west of the US or Canada but was continuing to monitor the situation. A national emergency official told local radio the Chilean government was evaluating damage in and around Concepcion. Phone lines were either down or busy, making confirmation of damage difficult elsewhere, especially further south toward the epicenter. The quake was felt in Argentina as well. According to a 2002 census, Concepcion is one of the largest cities in Chile with a population of around 670,000. Kevin McCue, president of the Australian Earthquake Engineering Society, told Reuters news agency: "An earthquake of this size occurs one every ten years. This quake would have ruptured the earth's surface for about 800km, which is a very long length to produce a tsunami. "I'm surprised it produced such a small tsunami as a result. But everyone is still on alert right across the Pacific." Panic-stricken people swarmed the streets of Santiago, more than 320km north of the epicentre, a Reuters witness reported. Randy Baldwin, a geophysicist with the USGS National Earthquake Information Centre, told AFP news agency an earthquake of this size has the potential to devastate the region. "This is a significant earthquake with the force to cause significant damage in this region. It is a major seismic event," he said. In 1960, Chile was hit by the world's biggest earthquake since records dating back to 1900, USGS data shows. The 9.5 magnitude quake devastated the south-central city of Valdivia, killing 1,655 people and sending a tsunami which battered Easter Island 3,700km off Chile's Pacific seaboard and continued as far as Hawaii, Japan and the Philippines. ------------ Copyright 2010 THE TIMES OF EARTH (TOE). All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.