The coast of Chile was recently shaken up by an 8.3-magnitude earthquake that occurred at 7:54 pm in the evening, on September 16. Several tremors followed the main quake, which set off loud sirens warning civilians about the possibility of tsunamis along the coast. Other areas, such as California, Hawaii and New Zealand, received the same warning as news of the earthquake spread. People were evacuated from their homes immediately and the current death toll is at least five.
Chile’s coastal towns – such as Coquimbo and Illapel, as well as the country’s capital, Santiago – felt the brunt of it. At one point, Coquimbo witnessed 15 foot waves, while other smaller tsunami-like waves – up to six feet – hit nearby towns. In the process, the sea level had risen, causing flooding in the coastal cities, such as Illapel, where thousands of homes lost power. Moreover, concerns were raised about how the earthquake might affect Copahue volcano, which has recently been active. So far, there have been no signs of any activity, but the area is still being monitored.
Other areas affected by earthquake
There is a possibility for a tsunami to arrive to surrounding areas and cause destruction in places like New Zealand, California, Hawaii, and some Islands in French Polynesia. However, the warning that was originally issued has since turned into an advisory, as the tsunami waves were only anticipated to be around 1-2 feet high, which would not drastically change the sea level.
Chile’s unfortunate place on the globe
Chile is centered around the most tectonic-ally active area in the world, specifically on the Nazca and South American plates, the former of which keeps continuing to move under the latter. Therefore, it is no stranger to earthquakes; in fact, it recently had a major 8.2 magnitude quake back in 2014, which took the lives of 6 people.
In 2010, an 8.8 magnitude earthquake caused the death of over 500 people due to the failure to issue a tsunami warning. Following this incident, safety procedures have been intensified and tsunami alarms are sounded right after seismic activity in the area. Chileans residing on the coast also partake in earthquake drills to prepare themselves in the event of an emergency.
