5 Dead As Powerful Chile Earthquake Triggers Tsunami Warnings

The U.S. Geological Service says a powerful 7.8-magnitude aftershock has rocked Chile’s northern coast a day after an 8.2 quake. The USGS says the aftershock struck about 23 kilometres south of Iquique, the city closet to the epicentre of Tuesday’s quake.

It caused buildings to shake in the port of Iquique, which saw some damage from the big quake on Tuesday. There are no immediate reports of new damage or injuries. The latest tremor came 45 minutes after a strong 6.4-magnitude aftershock shook the same area.

A mighty 8.2-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of northern Chile late Tuesday, triggering small landslides, sapping power and generating a tsunami.

Thousands of people were spending the night sleeping rough in the hills and a tsunami advisory was issued for Hawaii out in the Pacific Ocean as waves fanned out from the epicentre.

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The government reported five deaths and several serious injuries. Landslides blocked roads in some areas, power failed for thousands, an airport was damaged and several businesses caught fire.

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About 300 inmates escaped from a women's prison in the city of Iquique and officials said Chile's military was sending a planeload of special forces to guard against looting.

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The quake shook modern buildings in Peru and in Bolivia's high altitude capital of La Paz - more than 470km (290 miles) from Iquique.

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At least eight strong aftershocks followed in the first few hours, including one measuring 6.2. More aftershocks and even a larger quake could not be ruled out, said seismologist Mario Pardo at the University of Chile.

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The US geological survey initially reported the quake at 8.0 but later upgraded the magnitude. It said the quake struck 61 miles (99km) north-west of the Chilean city of Iquique at 8.46pm, hitting a region that has been rocked by numerous quakes over the past two weeks.

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Waves of up to 2.1m (6ft) have hit some areas in Chile, and there have been power cuts, fires and landslides. Tens of thousands of people were evacuated in affected areas, where a state of emergency has been declared.

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Chile's National Emergency Office asked everyone to evacuate the South American nation's coast. And residents complied. While the government said it had no reports of significant damage to coastal areas, a number of adobe homes were reported destroyed in Arica.

Hours later tsunami warnings or watches remained in effect for the coasts of Peru and Chile but were lifted for elsewhere, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said. "We regard the coast line of Chile as still dangerous, so we're maintaining the warning," geophysicist Gerard Fryer told the Associated Press. Chilean authorities said their warning would stay in force through the night.

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"The fact is, we will know the extent of the damage as time goes by and when we inspect the areas in the light of day. The country has faced these first emergency hours very well."

Chile is on the so-called "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanoes and fault lines circling the Pacific Basic that is prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. On March 16, a 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck 37 miles west-northwest of Iquique. A 6.1-magnitude hit the same area exactly one week later.

About 500 people were killed when a 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck Chile on February 27, 2010. That quake triggered a tsunami that toppled buildings, particularly in the Maule region along the coast. According to researchers, the earthquake was violent enough to move the Chilean city of Concepcion at least 10 feet to the west and Santiago about 11 inches to the west-southwest.

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