Tsunami alert after heavy earthquake in Chile
A magnitude 8.2 earthquake strikes off the coast of Chile near Iquique, killing at least five people.
A tsunami warning has been issued for Latin America’s Pacific coast, BBC reports. The cataclysm threatens Peru, Ecuador, Columbia, Costa Rica and Nicaragua.
Waves of about to 2m hit some areas in Chile 45 minutes after the earthquake, the Chilean Navy said. The earthquake centre was only 10 km beneath the ocean floor.
No information about victims has been reported yet. The earthquake caused fires and landslides. The jerks could be felt in the neighbouring states – Bolivia and Peru.
Inhabitants of the north coast of Chile are being evacuated, Reuters reports. Peru is also evacuating people in the southern region Ica due to a tsunami alert.
Photo: АFP
