2010 Chile earthquake
Encyclopedia
The 2010 Chile earthquake occurred off the coast of central Chile
on Saturday, 27 February 2010, at 03:34 local time
(06:34 UTC), having a magnitude of 8.8 on the moment magnitude scale
, with intense shaking lasting for about three minutes. It ranks as the sixth largest earthquake ever to be recorded by a seismograph. It was felt strongly in six Chilean regions (from Valparaíso
in the north to Araucanía
in the south), that together make up about 80 percent of the country's population. According to the United States Geological Survey
(USGS) the cities experiencing the strongest shaking—VIII (Destructive) on the Mercalli intensity scale
(MM)—were Arauco
and Coronel. According to Chile's Seismological Service Concepción
experienced the strongest shaking at MM IX (Violent). The earthquake was felt in the capital Santiago
at MM VII (Very Strong) or MM VIII. Tremors were felt in many Argentine
cities, including Buenos Aires
, Córdoba
, Mendoza
and La Rioja
. Tremors were felt as far north as the city of Ica
in southern Peru
(approx. 2400 km). The earthquake triggered a tsunami
which devastated several coastal towns in south-central Chile and damaged the port at Talcahuano
. Tsunami warnings were issued in 53 countries, and the wave caused minor damage in the San Diego area of California
and in the Tōhoku region
of Japan
, where damage to the fisheries business was estimated at ¥
6.26 billion (USD$66.7 million). The earthquake also generated a blackout
that affected 93 percent of the country's population and which went on for several days in some locations. President
Michelle Bachelet
declared a "state of catastrophe
" and sent military troops to take control of the most affected areas. According to official sources, 525 people lost their lives, 25 people went missing and about 9% of the population lost their homes.
According to the USGS the epicenter
of the earthquake was about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) off the coast of Pelluhue
commune in the Maule Region. This is about 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) west of the village of Chovellén, 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) southwest of the town of Pelluhue and at a point approximately 100 kilometres (62.1 mi) away from the following four provincial capitals: Talca
(to the north-east), Linares
(to the east), Chillán
(to the south-east) and Concepción
(to the south). Chile's Seismological Service located the quake's epicenter at about 34 kilometres (21.1 mi) off the coast of Ñuble Province
in the Biobío Region. This is 60 kilometres (37.3 mi) north of Concepción and 170 kilometres (105.6 mi) south-west of Talca.
On March 10, Swiss Reinsurance Co. estimated that the Chilean quake would cost the insurance industry between 4 and 7 billion dollars. The rival German-based Munich Re
AG made the same estimate. Earthquake’s losses to economy of Chile are estimated at US$15-30 billion.
and South American
tectonic plates
, at a location where they converge
at a rate of eighty millimeters (about three inches) a year. This earthquake was characterized by a thrust-faulting
focal mechanism
, caused by the subduction
of the Nazca plate beneath the South American.
Chile has been at a convergent plate boundary that generates megathrust earthquake
s since the Paleozoic
era (500 million years ago). In historical times the Chilean coast has suffered many megathrust earthquakes along this plate boundary, including the strongest earthquake ever measured, which is the 1960 Valdivia earthquake. Most recently, the boundary ruptured in 2007 causing the 2007 Antofagasta earthquake
in northern Chile.
The segment of the fault zone which ruptured in this earthquake was estimated to be over 700 km (435 mi) long with a displacement of almost 10 meters. It lay immediately north of the 1000 km (621.4 mi) segment which ruptured in the great earthquake of 1960. Preliminary measurements show that the entire South American Plate moved abruptly westward during the quake. A research collaborative of Ohio State and other institutions have found, using GPS, that the earthquake shifted Santiago 11 inches (28 cm) to the west-southwest and moved Concepción at least 10 feet (at least 3 meters) to the west. The earthquake also shifted other parts of South America from the Falkland Islands
to Fortaleza
, Brazil. For example, it moved Argentina’s capital of Buenos Aires about one inch (2.5 cm) to the west. Several cities south of Cobquecura were also raised, by up to 3 meters. The maximum recorded peak ground acceleration
was at Concepcion, with a value of 0.65 g (6.38 m/s2)
affecting Chile since the magnitude 9.5 1960 Valdivia earthquake (the most energetic earthquake ever measured in the world), and it was the strongest earthquake worldwide since the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
until the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake. It is tied with the 1906 Ecuador-Colombia
and 1833 Sumatra
earthquakes as the sixth strongest earthquake ever measured, 501 times more forceful than the 7.0 Mw
earthquake in Haiti in January of 2010
.
of 6.2 was recorded 20 minutes after the initial quake. Two more aftershocks of magnitudes 5.4 and 5.6 followed within an hour of the initial quake. The USGS said that "a large vigorous aftershock sequence can be expected from this earthquake". By March 6 UTC, more than 130 aftershocks had been registered, including thirteen above magnitude 6.0.
A 6.9-magnitude offshore earthquake struck approximately 300 kilometers southwest of, and less than 90 minutes after, the initial shock; however, it is not clear if that quake is related to the main shock. A separate earthquake
of magnitude 6.3 occurred in Salta
, Argentina, at 15:45 UTC on February 27, at a depth of 38.2 km (23.7 mi); two people were injured and one died in Salta. This earthquake was followed on March 1, at 06:32 UTC by a magnitude 4.9 aftershock. Four other earthquakes above M5.0, some possible aftershocks, also occurred near the border in Argentina following the Chile earthquake; a magnitude 5.0 earthquake occurred in Mendoza
on February 28, a M5.3 earthquake in Neuquen
and a M5.2 in San Juan on March 2, and a M5.1 quake in Mendoza on March 4.
Another strong earthquake occurred on March 4, at 22:39 UTC in Antofagasta
in northern Chile, with a magnitude of 6.3.
Minor quakes generated by the main one could be felt as far away as São Paulo
, Brazil, located about 3000 km (1,864.1 mi) away from Concepción
. Since the major earthquake, and as of March 15, at least four to forty >M5.0 earthquakes have been recorded daily in the vicinity of the main earthquake, including four above magnitude 6.0 between March 3 and 00:00 UTC March 6.
On March 5, two aftershocks above M6.0 were reported. The first was a 6.3-magnitude off the coast of the Biobío Region. The second was near the epicenter of the original quake at 08:47 local time with a magnitude of 6.6.
On March 11, the March 2010 Chile earthquake (strength 6.9, treated by some as an aftershock of the February 2010 earthquake) was reported, followed quickly by further aftershocks measuring 6.7 and 6.0. The epicenter of the 6.9 quake was in Pichilemu
, O'Higgins Region
.
On March 15, two aftershocks of the February 2010 earthquake were reported, one at magnitude 6.1 at 08:08:28 local time offshore Maule
, and another at magnitude 6.7 with the epicenter located offshore the Biobío Region, near Cobquecura
, at 23:21:58 local time. This tremor was followed by two minor aftershock, one occurring 45 minutes later, measuring M5.5. No tsunami was reported and there were no tsunami warnings issued.
On March 17, at 14:38:37 local time, an earthquake of magnitude 5.2 was recorded in Aisén, in Southern Chile. Another magnitude 5.2 earthquake was recorded in Los Lagos
the next day. On March 26, at 10:52:06 local time, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake hit the Atacama
region, in Northern Chile.
The Biobio Region of Chile has had strong aftershocks of this earthquake. The first one was a magnitude 6.7 MW
earthquake
that struck off the coast of Biobío, Chile
, at 23:21 on March 15, 2010 at the epicenter
, at a depth of 18 kilometres (11 mi). The second earthquake struck on land in the region at 22:58 (UTC) on April 2, 2010 at 5.9 MW
and at a depth of 39 km. The third struck on 10:03 (UTC) on April 23, 2010 at 6.2 MW
. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center
said that historical data indicates that this quake will not generate a tsunami but still advised of the possibility. On May 3, at 19:09 an earthquake magnitude 6.4 MW
struck off Biobío, Chile
, at the epicenter
, at a depth of 20 kilometres (12 mi). The epicenter was 55 kilometres (34 mi) south of Lebu
. On July 14, 2010, another 6.5 magnitude earthquake occurred in the area.
, Chile
. On Lautaro
, Cañete, Nueva Imperial
, Traiguén
and Carahue
the quake was felt at intensity VI (strong) of the Mercalli scale. In Temuco it was perceived at intensity V (moderate). In Talcahuano
, Concepción
, Chillán
, Osorno
and Valdivia
it shook at intensity IV (light). According to the USGS the earthquake's epicenter was located on the ground, east of the coastal town of Tirúa
in the Araucanía Region
. However, according the University of Chile's Seismological Service, the seismic event was located 134 kilometers off the coast of Tirúa, measuring a magnitude 6.9 ML
. The University of Chile also reported that the localities who received the strongest shaking (VI) were Curanilahue
, Lebu
and Tirúa
. In Concepción, Talcahuano and Temuco it was felt at intensity V, and in Chillán and Valdivia at intensity IV.
A magnitude 6.2 Mw aftershock struck the coast of Biobío, Chile
at a shallow depth
of 15.1 km (9.4 mi) on 1 June 2011 at 08:55 local time (12:55 UTC). It was centered just offshore Arauco Province
near a moderately populated area, with most structures in its vicinity reported to be resistant to earthquake shaking. Strong shaking registering at VI on the Mercalli scale
was felt in Lebu
, just 7 km (4 ) south of the epicenter, lasting for approximately one minute. Some residents in coastal areas panicked and evacuated their homes. The earthquake was followed by a moderate magnitude 5.1 Mw tremor that occurred about 52 minutes later to the northeast of the main shock epicenter at an estimated depth of 26.9 km (16.7 mi). Initial estimates from the USGS placed its intensity at a magnitude of 6.4 Mw.
experienced a displacement of almost 24 centimeters (10 in) west, and even Buenos Aires
, about 1350 kilometres (838.9 mi) from Concepción, shifted 3.9 centimeters (1.5 in). It is estimated that Chile's territory could have expanded 1.2 km² as a result.
The earthquake also caused seiche
s to occur in Lake Pontchartrain
to the north of New Orleans, United States, located nearly 7500 kilometres (4,660.3 mi) from the epicenter of the quake.
According to an Associated Press Television News
cameraman, some buildings collapsed in Santiago
and there were power outages in parts of the city. A fire was reported in a chemical plant on the outskirts of Santiago and caused the evacuation of the neighborhood. Santiago's International Airport
seems to have been damaged and the airport authority has closed off all flight operations for the next 24 hours from around 12:00 UTC. On Sunday, February 28, Ricardo Ortega, head of the Chilean Air Force
, said commercial airline services had been partially re-established and aircraft were being allowed to land in Santiago.
Santiago's national Fine Arts Museum was badly damaged and did not reopen until 9 March 2010. An apartment building's two-story parking lot collapsed, wrecking 68 cars. According to one health official, three hospitals in Santiago collapsed, and a dozen more south of the capital also suffered significant damage.
In Valparaíso, a tsunami wave of 1.29 m was reported. The port of Valparaíso was ordered to be closed due to the damage caused by the earthquake. The port started to resume limited operations on February 28. In Viña del Mar
, a touristic city and part of Greater Valparaíso
, several buildings were structurally damaged, principally in the district Plan de Viña.
Many cities in Maule region were seriously affected by the earthquake. Curanipe, only 8 km (5 mi) from the epicenter, was hit by a tsunami
after the earthquake and still remained isolated from outside as of February 28. A surfer said the tsunami "...was like the one in Thailand, a sudden rise of water. One could not estimate the dimension of the wave, because it was advancing foam. There were 10 to 15 rises, the last one being at 08:30 in the morning." In Talca
, the capital of Maule region, many dead were trapped in the rubble. The administrative building was uninhabitable, and the authorities had to be set up in the parade ground. All but two of the local hospital’s thirteen wings were in ruins. Dr. Claudio Martínez was quoted as saying, “We’re only keeping the people in danger of dying.” Hospital staff attempted to transport some patients to Santiago on Sunday morning, but roads were blocked.
Damaged buildings and fires were reported in Concepción. Rescue teams had difficulty accessing Concepción because of the damaged infrastructure. The fifteen-story residential building "Alto Río" fell backwards, horizontally lay on the ground, and trapped many of the residents. As the building was newly completed, 19 of the apartments were occupied and 36 were unknown if there were residents therein. A 2.34 m (7.68 ft) tsunami wave hit Talcahuano
, a port city and part of the Concepción conurbation
. The tsunami caused serious damage to port facilities and lifted boats out of the water. In the fishing town of Dichato
, which has 7,000 residents, it was the third tsunami wave that ended up being the most damaging.
Dilapidated buildings could be seen on the streets of Temuco
, about 400 km (250 mi) from the epicenter. The adobe of some buildings fell. Façades fell in pieces and crushed cars. Two people were reported dead because of not having been able to escape from a nightclub. On February 27, it was reported that "to find an open business is almost impossible" ("Encontrar un negocio abierto es casi imposible").
In Chile, 370,000 homes were damaged. The final death toll of 525 victims and 25 people missing was announced by authorities in January 2011.. This is down from early reports on March 3 of 802 people dead.
The Chilean National Emergency Office (Oficina Nacional de Emergencia
) estimated that the intensity of the earthquake was 9 on the Mercalli scale in the Biobío Region and 8 in Santiago. USGS put the intensity in Talcahuano
at MM VIII, in Santiago and Concepción at MM VII and in Valparaíso at MM VI.
On March 10, Swiss Reinsurance Co. estimated that the Chilean quake would cost the insurance industry between 4 and 7 billion dollars. And this is the same estimate made by the rival German-based Munich Re AG.
Notes: USGS=United States Geological Survey, SS=Chile's Seismological Service.
Source: Casen Post-Earthquake Survey, Ministry of Planning.
's earlier statement that Chile would only ask for international aid once it had assessed the extent of the damage, leaders of many countries and intergovernmental organizations, including the United Nations
and European Union
, responded to the earthquake and sent messages of condolence to the government and people of Chile over the loss of lives and property. Argentina
, Mexico
, the United States
, United Kingdom
, People's Republic of China
, Singapore
, Haiti
, and Pakistan
were among the countries that responded earliest following the quake. Appeals for humanitarian aid
were issued by the UK-based Oxfam
, Save the Children
and others.
Chilean television host Don Francisco
led a telethon called Chile helps Chile
with the goal of raising 15 billion pesos
(about US$29 million) needed to build 30,000 emergency houses ("mediagua
s"). The charity event, which ran for 24 hours in Santiago starting on Friday March 5 at 22:00, was summoned by the government and organized by several Chilean NGOs. At 23:00 on Saturday the goal was doubled, collecting 30.2 billion pesos (about US$58 million).
The Chilean NGO Un Techo para Chile constructed 23,886 transitional houses for families affected by the earthquake.
. Items stolen included not only food and other necessities, but also electronic goods and other durable merchandise. To control vandalism, a special force of carabineros
was sent to disperse rioters with tear gas and water cannons. However, despite these and other government acts (including the curfew
s), pillaging continued in both urban and rural areas of the affected zones. Reportedly, military police arrested 160 in Concepción on March 1 and 2.
In Concepción, despite the militarization of the zone, mobs continued to steal from supermarkets and went as far as to set one store ablaze. The government warned looters they would face the full weight of the law, as penalties for stealing are increased under a state of catastrophe. A week after the quake the police —tipped by neighbors— arrested three people with massive quantities of looted goods stashed in their homes. Other looted goods such as mattresses, furniture, television sets and other electronic appliances were abandoned in the streets of Concepción during the following days.
According to the BBC
on March 5, the city and fishing port of Talcahuano
, which lies but a few kilometers down the coast from Concepción, has been left largely to fend for itself. Neighbourhood vigilante groups, including one led by a public works employee with a gun license, and the few police present allow such behavior as residents' siphoning fuel from tanks at a petrol station, but step in if someone starts to attack a cash machine. One man stated, "I've personally saved dozens of people from attack in this apartment block."
Chileans living in regions not affected by the earthquake (including those living abroad) also grieved, as they sought to learn more regarding kinsmen and friends affected by the earthquake. In the hardest-hit zones there was no communication with the exterior because of the failure of electricity and the destruction of telephone lines.
in Concepción, a prison riot
began after a failed escape attempt by the inmates. Different parts of the prison were set afire and the riot was brought under control only after the guards shot into the air and received help from military units.
By March 1, prison guards in Chillán had recaptured 36 of 203 prisoners who had escaped following the earthquake. During their escape, prisoners burned seven houses close to the prison. A witness in Chillán
asserted that he had been robbed by prisoners with a machine gun
who had also forced his girlfriend
to kiss them. Another witness alleged sexual molestation
by around twenty men who were believed to be escaped prisoners. The leading Chilean newspaper El Mercurio
described the situation in Chillán as reminiscent of the "Wild West".
However, about two million people were affected by the quake with more than 500,000 houses uninhabitable. In many cities, people slept in tents, in parks or simply on the streets for fear of aftershocks. The government began distributing food and other vital aid around the country.
On February 28, President Bachelet said that her government had reached an agreement with the major supermarkets which would allow them to give away basic foodstuffs in stock to people affected by the earthquake.
By February 28, the Santiago Metro
rapid-transit network was already partially up and running and expected to be fully operative on the following day, March 1.
On March 4, President-elect Sebastián Piñera
, who assumed office on March 11, was quoted as saying that his goals were "to cope with the emergency needs of citizens, find people who are still missing, provide prompt and timely assistance to the sick and wounded, and restore law and order so that people can return to peace."
On March 4, President Bachelet said that Chile would need international loans and three to four years to rebuild.
, who said of cases of price rises of 10 to 20%.
The earthquake affected production at the Compañía de Cervecerías Unidas
(CCU) and Cervecería Chile factories that together have a 90% share of the Chilean beer market. With an average annual per capita consumption of 36 liters, scarcity caused prices to rise from 990-1500 to 2000 Chilean peso
s per litre. CCU responded by increasing capacity of their plant in Temuco
that did not suffer major damage during the earthquake and by importing beer from their factories in Argentina. 50 trucks with beer are reported to have reached Santiago from Argentina. In March 2010, ten CCU executives said that the country will not run out of beer and that within two to three months production levels would be normalized. Liquor store owners expressed complaints regarding CCU's beer rationing
. The scarcity favoured consumption of "premium beers" like Kunstmann
and Paceña
.
was first declared for Chile
and Peru
, and a tsunami watch for Ecuador
, Colombia
, Antarctica, Panama
and Costa Rica
. The warning was later extended to a Pacific Ocean-wide warning, covering all coastal areas on the Pacific Ocean except the west coast of the United States, British Columbia, and Alaska. Hawaiian media reported that tsunami warning sirens first sounded at 06:00 local time. The U.S. Tsunami Warning Center issued advisories about potential tidal waves of less than 1 m (3.3 ft) striking the Pacific Ocean coastline between California and most of Alaska late in the afternoon or through the evening 12 or more hours after the initial earthquake.
Although the earthquake killed far fewer people than the Haitian earthquake less than 7 weeks prior, it was still devastating.
The tsunami warning was cancelled for all countries except Japan and Russia in PTWC Bulletin 18 of 00:12 UTC on 28 February 2010.
In general, tsunamis tend to come in several waves, of which the first may not be the highest.
The U.S. National Weather Service
's Pacific Tsunami Warning Center
issued a tsunami warning
throughout a huge swathe of the Pacific region, including Antarctica. In the Americas
, the warning extended to Chile
(including Easter Island
), Colombia
, Costa Rica
, Ecuador
, El Salvador
, Guatemala
, Mexico
, and Panama
. A warning was also issued for the Oceania
and Pacific Islands
nations and territories of American Samoa
, Australia
, the Cook Islands
, the Federated States of Micronesia
(including the FSM states of Chuuk
, Kosrae
, Pohnpei
and Yap
), Fiji
, French Polynesia
, Guam
, Hawaii
, Jarvis Island
, Johnston Island, the Kermadec Islands
, Kiribati
, Marcus Island, the Marshall Islands
, Midway Island, New Caledonia
, New Zealand
, Niue
, the Northern Mariana Islands
, Palau
, Papua New Guinea
, Pitcairn Islands
, Samoa
, the Solomon Islands
, Tokelau
, Tonga
, Tuvalu
, Wallis and Futuna
and Wake Island
. Tsunami warnings were also in effect as far away as East
and Southeast Asia
including Japan
, Indonesia
, the Philippines
, Russia
and Taiwan
.
Coastal areas of Canada
's westernmost province British Columbia
was under a tsunami advisory. No large wave was expected to strike British Columbia, but strong local ocean currents combined with a wave put low-lying coastal regions at risk of flooding. The first wave was expected to reach southern British Columbia at 15:11 local time. Residents were advised to avoid beaches, harbours and marinas.
A tsunami advisory was also issued for coastal areas of California
, Oregon
, Washington and southern Alaska
in the United States
. This tsunami advisory was canceled as of 07:13
UTD on February 28.
Russian authorities lifted a tsunami alert for the Kamchatka coast, after the arrival of a 0.8 m (2.6 ft) surge that caused no damage. The tsunami was also reported to be small along the Japanese coast, and passed without incident. Many coastal areas in Japan had been evacuated as a precaution.
The projections use DART (Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis
) gauges spread along the sea floor, which is a fairly new technology. Initial deep sea readings showed wave height of 25 centimeters, which is huge for deep water according to Gerard Fryer of the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. He went on to say, “although it was huge, we didn't quite know what it meant because we haven't much experience with those. As we get more under our belts, we'll get better."
suffered the hardest damage; subsequently, a tsunami amplitude of up to 2.6 m (8.5 ft) high was recorded in the sea at Valparaíso
. A wave
amplitude
of 2.34 m (7.68 ft) was recorded at Talcahuano
in the Biobío Region. Robinson Crusoe Island
, the largest of the Juan Fernández Islands
, was struck by a large wave led to the deaths of four people on the island, with eleven people reported as missing, according to Provincial Governor Ivan De La Maza. President Bachelet is reported to have sent an aid mission to the remote island.
As a precaution against the coming tsunami, partial evacuation was ordered in Easter Island
, about 3,510 km (2,180 mi) away from the coast of Chile. The tsunami wave arrived in Easter Island at 12:05 UTC, measuring 0.35 m (1.15 ft).
On 27 February, defense minister Francisco Vidal
said that the Chilean Navy
had made a mistake by not immediately issuing a tsunami warning after the earthquake, a step that could have helped coastal villagers flee to higher ground sooner. However, an alarm was later sounded by port captains and saved some lives. The head of Chile's oceanographic service SHOA
, which is part of the country's navy, was later fired for the organization's failure to provide clear warnings about the tsunami.
Initially, the New Zealand Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management (CDEM) said they did not expect a tsunami to reach New Zealand, but later issued a warning stating that waves of up to 1 m (3.3 ft) high were likely for the eastern and later the entire New Zealand
coast. By 19:55 UTC (08:40 local), CDEM reported wave activity of 50 cm (1.6 ft) in the Chatham Islands
, and 2 m (6.6 ft) surges were reported there later in the morning. A surge 2.2 m (7.2 ft) high hit the South Island
's Banks Peninsula
, while surges up to 1 m (3.3 ft) high were reported in the northern North Island
. By mid afternoon (local time), Civil Defence had downgraded the tsunami warning to an alert, while still advising that sea levels could change quickly for up to 24 hours from the initial surge.
Antarctica
The U.S. Antarctic Program's coastal station along the Antarctic Peninsula
, Palmer Station
, went on a tsunami alert shortly after the earthquake struck Chile. To prepare for a possible tsunami, station personnel removed all Zodiac boats from the water and moved any materials from low-lying areas that waves could have swept away. Personnel also retreated to the station’s highest building, GWR, while the tsunami warning was in effect, Ellis said. Palmer personnel developed a tsunami emergency plan following the 2004 earthquake in the Indian Ocean that created a tsunami that killed more than 230,000 people in 14 countries. While no noticeable tsunami occurred at Palmer, the station tide monitor displayed bumps of several centimeters, signifying that a small wave had indeed reached the shores of Anvers Island.
Australia
The Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Center (JATWC) sent out tsunami warnings for New South Wales
, Queensland
, Lord Howe Island
, Norfolk Island
, Tasmania
, and Victoria
. The organization warned of the possibility of dangerous waves, strong ocean currents and foreshore flooding to occur on the east coast of Australia for several hours on Sunday.
As a result of the warnings, patrolled beaches in New South Wales and Queensland remained closed (red flags) and lifeguards ushered people to leave the water. However beach goers and surfers ignored the warnings. Numerous onlookers also crowded parts of the shore to view potential effects of the tsunami.
The beach ban was lifted by the end of the day and there was no reports of damage, flooding or other emergencies. Tsunami waves of between 10 cm and 50 cm were recorded and their surges were believed to have created strong currents. Increases in sea levels include: Norfolk Island
50 cm, Gold Coast (Qld)
20 cm, Port Kembla (NSW) 14 cm, Southport (Tas) 17 cm.
French Polynesia
A wave measuring up to 6 ft (1.8 m) high struck portions of French Polynesia
between 15:50 to 17:50 UTC with no reports of injuries . A wave 4 meters high is reported to have struck Hiva Oa
in the Marquesas Islands
. The first waves were expected to hit the main island of Tahiti
at approximately 16:50 UTC (07:50 local). Cars and other automobiles were banned from roads closer than 500 m (1,640.4 ft) from the Pacific Ocean.
Réseau France Outre-mer
in Papeete
reported that a wave measuring less than 1 m (3.3 ft) passed east of the Gambier Islands
with no damage, according to Monique Richeton, the mayor of Rikitea
. Residents of the Tuamotus
, which are low-lying, were told to move to the highest points on the island.
American Samoa
The first wave was expected to reach American Samoa
, which is still recovering from the 2009 Samoa earthquake and tsunami
, at 08:51 local time. Lieutenant Governor
Ipulasi Aitofele Sunia
urged residents not to rush to A'oloau
, a high elevation area on Tutuila
, as it could cause traffic jams, putting safety at risk. Many coastal towns, including the main city of Pago Pago, had already been heavily damaged in the 2009 tsunami. The first wave arrived on Pago Plaza at 21:58 UTC.
Philippines
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology
(Phivolcs) issued an advisory that tsunami wave(s)
were expected to hit the eastern coast of the Philippines on Sunday between 05:00 and 06:30 UTC (13:00 and 14:30 local). Residents of 19 eastern provinces "are advised to prepare for possible evacuation." However, at 15:15 on February 28, 2010, all warnings have been cancelled.
Hawaii
United States Senators Daniel Inouye
and Daniel Akaka
issued a joint press release announcing the first tsunami evacuation in Hawaii since 1994. Warning sirens were sounded throughout the state, as hotels in Waikiki
evacuated tourists at 6 a.m. People in tall buildings were encouraged to move above the third floor. Waves measuring nine feet high were originally predicted to strike Hilo Bay
on the Big Island of Hawai'i at 11:05 local time (21:05 GMT), but by 11:18, major receding and waves had not been reported on the shoreline. By 11:40, several waves hit the islands amounting to raising and lowering of the sea near the coast, and a fourth wave hit around 13:12. The tsunami warning for Hawaii was canceled in the early afternoon on Saturday, February 27.
Gerard Fryer, a geophysicist for the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center was quoted as saying: “We expected the waves to be bigger in Hawaii, maybe about 50 percent bigger than they actually were." Early in the morning, the Center expected waves of 10 feet. In actuality, the highest tsunami waves ended up being about 5 to 6 feet peak to trough.
At around 23:00 UTC (15:00 local), a tsunami warning was issued for coastal British Columbia
. Extra precautions were already in place due to the 2010 Winter Olympics
being held in Vancouver
at the time.
California
Small waves were expected in Southern California
, and receding was reported at Long Beach
. Minor damage was reported on some coastal areas. The tsunami damaged navigation buoys at Ventura
. Additionally, a boat was torn loose from its mooring and minor erosion occurred within Ventura Harbor. Damage to docks and pilings in the area was moderate.
Guerrero
In Guerrero
, surges of between 30 cm and 1 meter and receding of up to 10 m were reported, and three small vessels were sunk at Tecpán de Galeana
. The state tourism authorities announced they would be sending a letter to the CNN news network to protest the "alarming" way in which it had forecast a tsunami for the major tourist destination of Acapulco
.
has sent construction teams to Chiloé Island
to help reconstruct some of the washed away coastal buildings. In July 2010, the government of Argentina released a statement that they would lend $300 million to Chile for reconstruction efforts using Argentine goods.
and the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center
, lists measured and reported values of the tsunami when it arrived at specific places. Some data is taken from the Chilean Army.
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
on Saturday, 27 February 2010, at 03:34 local time
Time in Chile
Continental Chile is situated geographically in UTC−05.Currently, Chile uses 2 different UTC offsets at any given point in the calendar year. Since it practices daylight saving time, in total 4 time zones are used...
(06:34 UTC), having a magnitude of 8.8 on the moment magnitude scale
Moment magnitude scale
The moment magnitude scale is used by seismologists to measure the size of earthquakes in terms of the energy released. The magnitude is based on the seismic moment of the earthquake, which is equal to the rigidity of the Earth multiplied by the average amount of slip on the fault and the size of...
, with intense shaking lasting for about three minutes. It ranks as the sixth largest earthquake ever to be recorded by a seismograph. It was felt strongly in six Chilean regions (from Valparaíso
Valparaíso Region
The V Valparaíso Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions.Valparaíso Region, 2006 With the country's third highest population of 1,539,852 million in 2002 and third smallest area of , the region is Chile's second most densely populated after the Santiago Metropolitan Region...
in the north to Araucanía
Araucanía Region
The IX Araucanía Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions and comprises two provinces: Malleco in the north and Cautín in the south....
in the south), that together make up about 80 percent of the country's population. According to the United States Geological Survey
United States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology,...
(USGS) the cities experiencing the strongest shaking—VIII (Destructive) on the Mercalli intensity scale
Mercalli intensity scale
The Mercalli intensity scale is a seismic scale used for measuring the intensity of an earthquake. It measures the effects of an earthquake, and is distinct from the moment magnitude M_w usually reported for an earthquake , which is a measure of the energy released...
(MM)—were Arauco
Arauco, Chile
Arauco is a city and commune in Chile, located in Arauco Province in the Biobio Region. The meaning of Arauco means Chalky Water in Mapudungun. The region was a Moluche aillarehue...
and Coronel. According to Chile's Seismological Service Concepción
Concepción, Chile
Concepción is a city in Chile, capital of Concepción Province and of the Biobío Region or Region VIII. Greater Concepción is the second-largest conurbation in the country, with 889,725 inhabitants...
experienced the strongest shaking at MM IX (Violent). The earthquake was felt in the capital Santiago
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
at MM VII (Very Strong) or MM VIII. Tremors were felt in many Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
cities, including Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Córdoba
Córdoba, Argentina
Córdoba is a city located near the geographical center of Argentina, in the foothills of the Sierras Chicas on the Suquía River, about northwest of Buenos Aires. It is the capital of Córdoba Province. Córdoba is the second-largest city in Argentina after the federal capital Buenos Aires, with...
, Mendoza
Mendoza, Argentina
Mendoza is the capital city of Mendoza Province, in Argentina. It is located in the northern-central part of the province, in a region of foothills and high plains, on the eastern side of the Andes. As of the , Mendoza's population was 110,993...
and La Rioja
La Rioja, Argentina
La Rioja is the capital city of the Argentine province of La Rioja, located on the east of the province. The city has a population of almost 150,000 as per the ....
. Tremors were felt as far north as the city of Ica
Ica (city)
The city of Ica is the capital of the Ica Region in southern Peru. While the area was long inhabited by varying cultures of indigenous peoples, the Spanish conquistador Gerónimo Luis de Cabrera claimed its founding in 1563. As of 2005, it had an estimated population of over 219,856...
in southern Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
(approx. 2400 km). The earthquake triggered a tsunami
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
which devastated several coastal towns in south-central Chile and damaged the port at Talcahuano
Talcahuano
Talcahuano is a port city and commune in the Biobío Region of Chile. It is part of the Greater Concepción conurbation. Talcahuano is located in the south of the Central Zone of Chile.-Geography:...
. Tsunami warnings were issued in 53 countries, and the wave caused minor damage in the San Diego area of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and in the Tōhoku region
Tohoku region
The is a geographical area of Japan. The region occupies the northeastern portion of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region consists of six prefectures : Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi and Yamagata....
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, where damage to the fisheries business was estimated at ¥
¥
¥ is a currency sign used by the Japanese yen and the Chinese yuan currencies. The symbol resembles a Latin letter Y with a double stroke. The base unit of both currencies shared the same Chinese character pronounced yuán in Mandarin Chinese and en in Standard Japanese...
6.26 billion (USD$66.7 million). The earthquake also generated a blackout
Power outage
A power outage is a short- or long-term loss of the electric power to an area.There are many causes of power failures in an electricity network...
that affected 93 percent of the country's population and which went on for several days in some locations. President
President of Chile
The President of the Republic of Chile is both the head of state and the head of government of the Republic of Chile. The President is responsible of the government and state administration...
Michelle Bachelet
Michelle Bachelet
Verónica Michelle Bachelet Jeria is a Social Democrat politician who was President of Chile from 11 March 2006 to 11 March 2010. She was the first woman president of her country...
declared a "state of catastrophe
State of emergency
A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend some normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviours, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale...
" and sent military troops to take control of the most affected areas. According to official sources, 525 people lost their lives, 25 people went missing and about 9% of the population lost their homes.
According to the USGS the epicenter
Epicenter
The epicenter or epicentre is the point on the Earth's surface that is directly above the hypocenter or focus, the point where an earthquake or underground explosion originates...
of the earthquake was about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) off the coast of Pelluhue
Pelluhue
Pelluhue is a town and commune in the Cauquenes Province of central Chile's eighth region of Maule.-Geography:...
commune in the Maule Region. This is about 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) west of the village of Chovellén, 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) southwest of the town of Pelluhue and at a point approximately 100 kilometres (62.1 mi) away from the following four provincial capitals: Talca
Talca
Talca is a city and commune in Chile located about south of Santiago, and is the capital of both Talca Province and Maule Region . As of the 2002 census, the city had a population of 193,755....
(to the north-east), Linares
Linares, Chile
Linares is a Chilean city and commune located in the Maule Region and lies in the fertile Chilean Central Valley, south of Santiago and south of Talca, the regional capital...
(to the east), Chillán
Chillán
Chillán is a city in the Biobío Region of Chile located about south of the country's capital, Santiago, near the geographical center of the country. It is the capital of Ñuble Province and, with a population of approximately 170,000 people , the most populated urban center of this province...
(to the south-east) and Concepción
Concepción, Chile
Concepción is a city in Chile, capital of Concepción Province and of the Biobío Region or Region VIII. Greater Concepción is the second-largest conurbation in the country, with 889,725 inhabitants...
(to the south). Chile's Seismological Service located the quake's epicenter at about 34 kilometres (21.1 mi) off the coast of Ñuble Province
Ñuble Province
Ñuble Province is one of four provinces of the Chilean region of Biobío . It spans an area of and is administratively constituted by 21 communes. It has a population of 441,604 inhabitants. Its capital is the city of Chillán.-History:...
in the Biobío Region. This is 60 kilometres (37.3 mi) north of Concepción and 170 kilometres (105.6 mi) south-west of Talca.
On March 10, Swiss Reinsurance Co. estimated that the Chilean quake would cost the insurance industry between 4 and 7 billion dollars. The rival German-based Munich Re
Munich Re
Munich Re Group is a reinsurance company based in Munich, Germany. It is one of the world’s leading reinsurers. ERGO, a Munich Re subsidiary, is the Group’s primary insurance arm....
AG made the same estimate. Earthquake’s losses to economy of Chile are estimated at US$15-30 billion.
Seismology and geology
The earthquake took place along the boundary between the NazcaNazca Plate
]The Nazca Plate, named after the Nazca region of southern Peru, is an oceanic tectonic plate in the eastern Pacific Ocean basin off the west coast of South America. The ongoing subduction along the Peru-Chile Trench of the Nazca Plate under the South American Plate is largely responsible for the...
and South American
South American Plate
The South American Plate is a continental tectonic plate which includes the continent of South America and also a sizeable region of the Atlantic Ocean seabed extending eastward to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge....
tectonic plates
Tectonic Plates
Tectonic Plates is a 1992 independent Canadian film directed by Peter Mettler. Mettler also wrote the screenplay based on the play by Robert Lepage. The film stars Marie Gignac, Céline Bonnier and Robert Lepage.-Plot summary:...
, at a location where they converge
Convergent boundary
In plate tectonics, a convergent boundary, also known as a destructive plate boundary , is an actively deforming region where two tectonic plates or fragments of lithosphere move toward one another and collide...
at a rate of eighty millimeters (about three inches) a year. This earthquake was characterized by a thrust-faulting
Thrust fault
A thrust fault is a type of fault, or break in the Earth's crust across which there has been relative movement, in which rocks of lower stratigraphic position are pushed up and over higher strata. They are often recognized because they place older rocks above younger...
focal mechanism
Focal mechanism
The focal mechanism of an earthquake describes the inelastic deformation in the source region that generates the seismic waves. In the case of a fault-related event it refers to the orientation of the fault plane that slipped and the slip vector and is also known as a fault-plane solution...
, caused by the subduction
Subduction
In geology, subduction is the process that takes place at convergent boundaries by which one tectonic plate moves under another tectonic plate, sinking into the Earth's mantle, as the plates converge. These 3D regions of mantle downwellings are known as "Subduction Zones"...
of the Nazca plate beneath the South American.
Chile has been at a convergent plate boundary that generates megathrust earthquake
Megathrust earthquake
Megathrust earthquakes occur at subduction zones at destructive plate boundaries , where one tectonic plate is forced under another. Due to the shallow dip of the plate boundary, which causes large sections to get stuck, these earthquakes are among the world's largest, with moment magnitudes ...
s since the Paleozoic
Paleozoic
The Paleozoic era is the earliest of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic eon, spanning from roughly...
era (500 million years ago). In historical times the Chilean coast has suffered many megathrust earthquakes along this plate boundary, including the strongest earthquake ever measured, which is the 1960 Valdivia earthquake. Most recently, the boundary ruptured in 2007 causing the 2007 Antofagasta earthquake
2007 Antofagasta earthquake
The 2007 Tocopilla earthquake was an earthquake registered on November 14, 2007 at 15:40:53 UTC . Its epicenter was located between the localities of Quillagua and Tocopilla, affecting the Tarapacá and the Antofagasta regions in northern Chile. The earthquake had a moment magnitude of 7.7 and...
in northern Chile.
The segment of the fault zone which ruptured in this earthquake was estimated to be over 700 km (435 mi) long with a displacement of almost 10 meters. It lay immediately north of the 1000 km (621.4 mi) segment which ruptured in the great earthquake of 1960. Preliminary measurements show that the entire South American Plate moved abruptly westward during the quake. A research collaborative of Ohio State and other institutions have found, using GPS, that the earthquake shifted Santiago 11 inches (28 cm) to the west-southwest and moved Concepción at least 10 feet (at least 3 meters) to the west. The earthquake also shifted other parts of South America from the Falkland Islands
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located about from the coast of mainland South America. The archipelago consists of East Falkland, West Falkland and 776 lesser islands. The capital, Stanley, is on East Falkland...
to Fortaleza
Fortaleza
Fortaleza is the state capital of Ceará, located in Northeastern Brazil. With a population close to 2.5 million , Fortaleza is the 5th largest city in Brazil. It has an area of and one of the highest demographic densities in the country...
, Brazil. For example, it moved Argentina’s capital of Buenos Aires about one inch (2.5 cm) to the west. Several cities south of Cobquecura were also raised, by up to 3 meters. The maximum recorded peak ground acceleration
Peak ground acceleration
Peak ground acceleration is a measure of earthquake acceleration on the ground and an important input parameter for earthquake engineering, also known as the design basis earthquake ground motion...
was at Concepcion, with a value of 0.65 g (6.38 m/s2)
Compared with past earthquakes
This was the strongest earthquakeEarthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
affecting Chile since the magnitude 9.5 1960 Valdivia earthquake (the most energetic earthquake ever measured in the world), and it was the strongest earthquake worldwide since the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake
The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake...
until the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake. It is tied with the 1906 Ecuador-Colombia
1906 Ecuador-Colombia earthquake
The 1906 Ecuador-Colombia earthquake occurred at 15:36 UTC on January 31, off the coast of Ecuador, near Esmeraldas. The earthquake had a magnitude of 8.8 and triggered a destructive tsunami that caused at least 500 casualties on the coast of Colombia....
and 1833 Sumatra
1833 Sumatra earthquake
The 1833 Sumatra earthquake occurred on November 25, 1833, about 22:00 local time, with an estimated magnitude in the range Mw= 8.8–9.2. It caused a large tsunami that flooded the southwestern coast of the island. There are no reliable records of the loss of life, with the casualties being...
earthquakes as the sixth strongest earthquake ever measured, 501 times more forceful than the 7.0 Mw
Moment magnitude scale
The moment magnitude scale is used by seismologists to measure the size of earthquakes in terms of the energy released. The magnitude is based on the seismic moment of the earthquake, which is equal to the rigidity of the Earth multiplied by the average amount of slip on the fault and the size of...
earthquake in Haiti in January of 2010
2010 Haiti earthquake
The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
.
Aftershocks
An aftershockAftershock
An aftershock is a smaller earthquake that occurs after a previous large earthquake, in the same area of the main shock. If an aftershock is larger than the main shock, the aftershock is redesignated as the main shock and the original main shock is redesignated as a foreshock...
of 6.2 was recorded 20 minutes after the initial quake. Two more aftershocks of magnitudes 5.4 and 5.6 followed within an hour of the initial quake. The USGS said that "a large vigorous aftershock sequence can be expected from this earthquake". By March 6 UTC, more than 130 aftershocks had been registered, including thirteen above magnitude 6.0.
A 6.9-magnitude offshore earthquake struck approximately 300 kilometers southwest of, and less than 90 minutes after, the initial shock; however, it is not clear if that quake is related to the main shock. A separate earthquake
2010 Salta earthquake
The 2010 Salta earthquake occurred on Saturday, February 27, 2010 at 15:43:36 UTC in Salta Province, Argentina and had magnitude of 6.3. It occurred less than 12 hours after the far larger 2010 Chile earthquake, which killed over 500 people...
of magnitude 6.3 occurred in Salta
Salta
Salta is a city in northwestern Argentina and the capital city of the Salta Province. Along with its metropolitan area, it has a population of 464,678 inhabitants as of the , making it Argentina's eighth largest city.-Overview:...
, Argentina, at 15:45 UTC on February 27, at a depth of 38.2 km (23.7 mi); two people were injured and one died in Salta. This earthquake was followed on March 1, at 06:32 UTC by a magnitude 4.9 aftershock. Four other earthquakes above M5.0, some possible aftershocks, also occurred near the border in Argentina following the Chile earthquake; a magnitude 5.0 earthquake occurred in Mendoza
Mendoza, Argentina
Mendoza is the capital city of Mendoza Province, in Argentina. It is located in the northern-central part of the province, in a region of foothills and high plains, on the eastern side of the Andes. As of the , Mendoza's population was 110,993...
on February 28, a M5.3 earthquake in Neuquen
Neuquén
Neuquén is the name of the following things:* Neuquén, Argentina* Neuquén Province* Neuquén River* Neuquén Group...
and a M5.2 in San Juan on March 2, and a M5.1 quake in Mendoza on March 4.
Another strong earthquake occurred on March 4, at 22:39 UTC in Antofagasta
Antofagasta
Antofagasta is a port city in northern Chile, about north of Santiago. It is the capital of Antofagasta Province and Antofagasta Region. According to the 2002 census, the city has a population of 296,905...
in northern Chile, with a magnitude of 6.3.
Minor quakes generated by the main one could be felt as far away as São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, Brazil, located about 3000 km (1,864.1 mi) away from Concepción
Concepción, Chile
Concepción is a city in Chile, capital of Concepción Province and of the Biobío Region or Region VIII. Greater Concepción is the second-largest conurbation in the country, with 889,725 inhabitants...
. Since the major earthquake, and as of March 15, at least four to forty >M5.0 earthquakes have been recorded daily in the vicinity of the main earthquake, including four above magnitude 6.0 between March 3 and 00:00 UTC March 6.
On March 5, two aftershocks above M6.0 were reported. The first was a 6.3-magnitude off the coast of the Biobío Region. The second was near the epicenter of the original quake at 08:47 local time with a magnitude of 6.6.
On March 11, the March 2010 Chile earthquake (strength 6.9, treated by some as an aftershock of the February 2010 earthquake) was reported, followed quickly by further aftershocks measuring 6.7 and 6.0. The epicenter of the 6.9 quake was in Pichilemu
Pichilemu
Pichilemu , originally known as Pichilemo, is a beach resort city and commune in central Chile, and capital of Cardenal Caro Province. It is located southwest of Santiago, the capital of Chile, and comprises an urban center and twenty-three villages, such as Ciruelos, Cáhuil, and Espinillo...
, O'Higgins Region
O'Higgins Region
The VI O'Higgins Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. It is subdivided into three provinces. It is named in honour of Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme, one of Chile's founding fathers....
.
On March 15, two aftershocks of the February 2010 earthquake were reported, one at magnitude 6.1 at 08:08:28 local time offshore Maule
Maule Region
The VII Maule Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. Its capital is Talca. The region takes its name from the Maule River which, running westward from the Andes, bisects the region and spans a basin of about 20,600 km2...
, and another at magnitude 6.7 with the epicenter located offshore the Biobío Region, near Cobquecura
Cobquecura
Cobquecura is a town and commune in the Ñuble Province of Chile's eighth region of Biobío . The town is located on the northwest Pacific coast of the Ñuble Province about southwest of the national capital of Santiago.On February 27, 2010 Cobquecura was the epicenter of the huge earthquake and...
, at 23:21:58 local time. This tremor was followed by two minor aftershock, one occurring 45 minutes later, measuring M5.5. No tsunami was reported and there were no tsunami warnings issued.
On March 17, at 14:38:37 local time, an earthquake of magnitude 5.2 was recorded in Aisén, in Southern Chile. Another magnitude 5.2 earthquake was recorded in Los Lagos
Los Lagos Region
Los Lagos Region is one of Chile's 15 regions, which are first order administrative divisions, and comprises four provinces: Chiloé, Llanquihue, Osorno and Palena. The region contains the country's second largest island, Chiloé, and the second largest lake, Llanquihue.Its capital is Puerto Montt;...
the next day. On March 26, at 10:52:06 local time, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake hit the Atacama
Atacama Region
The Atacama Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. It comprises three provinces, Chañaral, Copiapó and Huasco. It is bordered to the north by Antofagasta, to the south by Coquimbo, to east with Provinces of Catamarca, La Rioja and San Juan of Argentina, and to west with...
region, in Northern Chile.
The Biobio Region of Chile has had strong aftershocks of this earthquake. The first one was a magnitude 6.7 MW
Moment magnitude scale
The moment magnitude scale is used by seismologists to measure the size of earthquakes in terms of the energy released. The magnitude is based on the seismic moment of the earthquake, which is equal to the rigidity of the Earth multiplied by the average amount of slip on the fault and the size of...
earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
that struck off the coast of Biobío, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, at 23:21 on March 15, 2010 at the epicenter
Epicenter
The epicenter or epicentre is the point on the Earth's surface that is directly above the hypocenter or focus, the point where an earthquake or underground explosion originates...
, at a depth of 18 kilometres (11 mi). The second earthquake struck on land in the region at 22:58 (UTC) on April 2, 2010 at 5.9 MW
Moment magnitude scale
The moment magnitude scale is used by seismologists to measure the size of earthquakes in terms of the energy released. The magnitude is based on the seismic moment of the earthquake, which is equal to the rigidity of the Earth multiplied by the average amount of slip on the fault and the size of...
and at a depth of 39 km. The third struck on 10:03 (UTC) on April 23, 2010 at 6.2 MW
Moment magnitude scale
The moment magnitude scale is used by seismologists to measure the size of earthquakes in terms of the energy released. The magnitude is based on the seismic moment of the earthquake, which is equal to the rigidity of the Earth multiplied by the average amount of slip on the fault and the size of...
. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center
Pacific Tsunami Warning Center
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center is one of two tsunami warning centers that are operated by NOAA in the United States. Headquartered in Ewa Beach, Hawaii, the PTWC is part of an international tsunami warning system program and serves as the operational center for TWS of the Pacific issuing...
said that historical data indicates that this quake will not generate a tsunami but still advised of the possibility. On May 3, at 19:09 an earthquake magnitude 6.4 MW
Moment magnitude scale
The moment magnitude scale is used by seismologists to measure the size of earthquakes in terms of the energy released. The magnitude is based on the seismic moment of the earthquake, which is equal to the rigidity of the Earth multiplied by the average amount of slip on the fault and the size of...
struck off Biobío, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, at the epicenter
Epicenter
The epicenter or epicentre is the point on the Earth's surface that is directly above the hypocenter or focus, the point where an earthquake or underground explosion originates...
, at a depth of 20 kilometres (12 mi). The epicenter was 55 kilometres (34 mi) south of Lebu
Lebu, Chile
Lebu is a port city and commune in central Chile administered by the Municipality of Lebu. Lebu is also the capital of Arauco Province in Bío-Bío Region...
. On July 14, 2010, another 6.5 magnitude earthquake occurred in the area.
2011 aftershocks
On 2 January at 17:20:18 local time, a 7.1 magnitude aftershock occurred 70 kilometers northwest of TemucoTemuco
Temuco is a city and commune, capital of the Cautín Province and of the Araucanía Region in southern Chile. The name comes from the Mapudungun language, meaning "temu water"; "temu" is a tree used by Mapuches for medicinal purposes. The city is located 670 km south of Santiago...
, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
. On Lautaro
Lautaro, Chile
Lautaro is a city and commune of the Cautín Province in Chile's Araucanía Region. The area is named in honor of Lautaro, Mapuche leader during the War of Arauco.-Demographics:...
, Cañete, Nueva Imperial
Nueva Imperial
Nueva Imperial is a city and commune in the south of Chile. It is located in Cautín Province in the Araucanía Region. Nueva Imperial lies about to the west of Temuco, the regional capital.-Geography:...
, Traiguén
Traiguén
Traiguén is a Chilean city and commune in the Malleco Province, Araucanía Region.-Demographics:According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Traiguén spans an area of and has 19,534 inhabitants . Of these, 14,140 lived in urban areas and 5,394 in rural areas...
and Carahue
Carahue
Carahue is a city and commune in southern Chile. It is located 56 km west of Temuco, on the northern bank of the Imperial River.The city was founded as La Imperial April 16, 1552 by Pedro de Valdivia....
the quake was felt at intensity VI (strong) of the Mercalli scale. In Temuco it was perceived at intensity V (moderate). In Talcahuano
Talcahuano
Talcahuano is a port city and commune in the Biobío Region of Chile. It is part of the Greater Concepción conurbation. Talcahuano is located in the south of the Central Zone of Chile.-Geography:...
, Concepción
Concepción, Chile
Concepción is a city in Chile, capital of Concepción Province and of the Biobío Region or Region VIII. Greater Concepción is the second-largest conurbation in the country, with 889,725 inhabitants...
, Chillán
Chillán
Chillán is a city in the Biobío Region of Chile located about south of the country's capital, Santiago, near the geographical center of the country. It is the capital of Ñuble Province and, with a population of approximately 170,000 people , the most populated urban center of this province...
, Osorno
Osorno, Chile
Osorno is a city and commune in southern Chile and capital of Osorno Province in the Los Lagos Region. It had a population of 145,475, as of the 2002 census...
and Valdivia
Valdivia
-Geography:*Chile** Valdivia, Chile, a city and municipality in the Province of Valdivia** Valdivia River, a river which begins in the city of Valdivia** Valdivia Province, the Province of Valdivia...
it shook at intensity IV (light). According to the USGS the earthquake's epicenter was located on the ground, east of the coastal town of Tirúa
Tirúa
Tirúa is a Chilean commune and town in Arauco Province, Biobío Region.-Demographics:According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Tirúa spans an area of and has 9,664 inhabitants . Of these, 2,508 lived in urban areas and 7,156 in rural areas...
in the Araucanía Region
Araucanía Region
The IX Araucanía Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions and comprises two provinces: Malleco in the north and Cautín in the south....
. However, according the University of Chile's Seismological Service, the seismic event was located 134 kilometers off the coast of Tirúa, measuring a magnitude 6.9 ML
Richter magnitude scale
The expression Richter magnitude scale refers to a number of ways to assign a single number to quantify the energy contained in an earthquake....
. The University of Chile also reported that the localities who received the strongest shaking (VI) were Curanilahue
Curanilahue
Curanilahue is a Chilean commune and city in Arauco Province, Biobío Region.-Demographics:According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Curanilahue spans an area of and has 31,943 inhabitants . Of these, 30,126 lived in urban areas and 1,817 in rural areas...
, Lebu
Lebu, Chile
Lebu is a port city and commune in central Chile administered by the Municipality of Lebu. Lebu is also the capital of Arauco Province in Bío-Bío Region...
and Tirúa
Tirúa
Tirúa is a Chilean commune and town in Arauco Province, Biobío Region.-Demographics:According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Tirúa spans an area of and has 9,664 inhabitants . Of these, 2,508 lived in urban areas and 7,156 in rural areas...
. In Concepción, Talcahuano and Temuco it was felt at intensity V, and in Chillán and Valdivia at intensity IV.
A magnitude 6.2 Mw aftershock struck the coast of Biobío, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
at a shallow depth
Hypocenter
The hypocenter refers to the site of an earthquake or a nuclear explosion...
of 15.1 km (9.4 mi) on 1 June 2011 at 08:55 local time (12:55 UTC). It was centered just offshore Arauco Province
Arauco Province
Arauco Province is one of four provinces of the Chilean region of Biobío . It spans a coastal area of just south of the mouth of the Biobío River, the traditional demarcation between the nation's major natural regions, Zona Central and Zona Sur...
near a moderately populated area, with most structures in its vicinity reported to be resistant to earthquake shaking. Strong shaking registering at VI on the Mercalli scale
Mercalli intensity scale
The Mercalli intensity scale is a seismic scale used for measuring the intensity of an earthquake. It measures the effects of an earthquake, and is distinct from the moment magnitude M_w usually reported for an earthquake , which is a measure of the energy released...
was felt in Lebu
Lebu, Chile
Lebu is a port city and commune in central Chile administered by the Municipality of Lebu. Lebu is also the capital of Arauco Province in Bío-Bío Region...
, just 7 km (4 ) south of the epicenter, lasting for approximately one minute. Some residents in coastal areas panicked and evacuated their homes. The earthquake was followed by a moderate magnitude 5.1 Mw tremor that occurred about 52 minutes later to the northeast of the main shock epicenter at an estimated depth of 26.9 km (16.7 mi). Initial estimates from the USGS placed its intensity at a magnitude of 6.4 Mw.
Geophysical impact
Seismologists estimate that the earthquake was so powerful that it may have shortened the length of the day by 1.26 microseconds and moved the Earth's figure axis by 8 cm or 2.7 milliarcseconds. Precise GPS measurement indicated the telluric movement moved the entire city of Concepción 3.04 meters (10 ft) to the west. The capital SantiagoSantiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
experienced a displacement of almost 24 centimeters (10 in) west, and even Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, about 1350 kilometres (838.9 mi) from Concepción, shifted 3.9 centimeters (1.5 in). It is estimated that Chile's territory could have expanded 1.2 km² as a result.
The earthquake also caused seiche
Seiche
A seiche is a standing wave in an enclosed or partially enclosed body of water. Seiches and seiche-related phenomena have been observed on lakes, reservoirs, swimming pools, bays, harbors and seas...
s to occur in Lake Pontchartrain
Lake Pontchartrain
Lake Pontchartrain is a brackish estuary located in southeastern Louisiana. It is the second-largest inland saltwater body of water in the United States, after the Great Salt Lake in Utah, and the largest lake in Louisiana. As an estuary, Pontchartrain is not a true lake.It covers an area of with...
to the north of New Orleans, United States, located nearly 7500 kilometres (4,660.3 mi) from the epicenter of the quake.
Damage and casualties
People were found dead after the earthquake struck, mostly under buildings and inside cars. Many people were also seriously injured. Most injuries were reported in Santiago and Maule.According to an Associated Press Television News
Associated Press Television News
Associated Press Television News, abbreviated as either AP Television News or APTN, is a global video news agency.-About:AP Television News is the video division of the Associated Press. It provides many of the world's broadcasters with a round-the-clock continuous feed of news, sports,...
cameraman, some buildings collapsed in Santiago
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
and there were power outages in parts of the city. A fire was reported in a chemical plant on the outskirts of Santiago and caused the evacuation of the neighborhood. Santiago's International Airport
Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport
Comodoro Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport , also known as Pudahuel Airport and Santiago International Airport, located in Pudahuel, north-west of downtown Santiago, is Chile's largest aviation facility and the busiest international air passenger gateway to the country...
seems to have been damaged and the airport authority has closed off all flight operations for the next 24 hours from around 12:00 UTC. On Sunday, February 28, Ricardo Ortega, head of the Chilean Air Force
Chilean Air Force
The Chilean Air Force is the air force of Chile, a branch of the Chilean military.-History:The first step towards the current FACh was taken by Teniente Coronel Pedro Pablo Dartnell, when he founded the Servicio de Aviación Militar de Chile on December 20, 1910, being trained as a pilot in France...
, said commercial airline services had been partially re-established and aircraft were being allowed to land in Santiago.
Santiago's national Fine Arts Museum was badly damaged and did not reopen until 9 March 2010. An apartment building's two-story parking lot collapsed, wrecking 68 cars. According to one health official, three hospitals in Santiago collapsed, and a dozen more south of the capital also suffered significant damage.
In Valparaíso, a tsunami wave of 1.29 m was reported. The port of Valparaíso was ordered to be closed due to the damage caused by the earthquake. The port started to resume limited operations on February 28. In Viña del Mar
Viña del Mar
Viña del Mar , is a city and commune on central Chile's Pacific coast. Its long stretches of white sandy beaches are a major attraction for national and international tourists. The city is Chile's main tourist attraction. Known as "La Ciudad Jardín" , Viña del Mar is a Chilean Municipality located...
, a touristic city and part of Greater Valparaíso
Greater Valparaíso
Greater Valparaíso is the third largest metropolitan area in Chile, after Greater Santiago, and Greater Concepción. It takes this name after the city of Valparaíso, the oldest city of the group and the most important harbour in Chile...
, several buildings were structurally damaged, principally in the district Plan de Viña.
Many cities in Maule region were seriously affected by the earthquake. Curanipe, only 8 km (5 mi) from the epicenter, was hit by a tsunami
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
after the earthquake and still remained isolated from outside as of February 28. A surfer said the tsunami "...was like the one in Thailand, a sudden rise of water. One could not estimate the dimension of the wave, because it was advancing foam. There were 10 to 15 rises, the last one being at 08:30 in the morning." In Talca
Talca
Talca is a city and commune in Chile located about south of Santiago, and is the capital of both Talca Province and Maule Region . As of the 2002 census, the city had a population of 193,755....
, the capital of Maule region, many dead were trapped in the rubble. The administrative building was uninhabitable, and the authorities had to be set up in the parade ground. All but two of the local hospital’s thirteen wings were in ruins. Dr. Claudio Martínez was quoted as saying, “We’re only keeping the people in danger of dying.” Hospital staff attempted to transport some patients to Santiago on Sunday morning, but roads were blocked.
Damaged buildings and fires were reported in Concepción. Rescue teams had difficulty accessing Concepción because of the damaged infrastructure. The fifteen-story residential building "Alto Río" fell backwards, horizontally lay on the ground, and trapped many of the residents. As the building was newly completed, 19 of the apartments were occupied and 36 were unknown if there were residents therein. A 2.34 m (7.68 ft) tsunami wave hit Talcahuano
Talcahuano
Talcahuano is a port city and commune in the Biobío Region of Chile. It is part of the Greater Concepción conurbation. Talcahuano is located in the south of the Central Zone of Chile.-Geography:...
, a port city and part of the Concepción conurbation
Greater Concepción
Gran Concepción is the second largest conurbation in Chile, after Greater Santiago with 1,013,856 inhabitants. According to the National Statistics Institute , the population projection for 2012 is 1,019,775 inhabitants....
. The tsunami caused serious damage to port facilities and lifted boats out of the water. In the fishing town of Dichato
Dichato
Dichato is a town along the coast of Chile, part of the municipality of Tomé in the northest part of Greater Concepción. At the 2002 census it had 3,057 residents...
, which has 7,000 residents, it was the third tsunami wave that ended up being the most damaging.
Dilapidated buildings could be seen on the streets of Temuco
Temuco
Temuco is a city and commune, capital of the Cautín Province and of the Araucanía Region in southern Chile. The name comes from the Mapudungun language, meaning "temu water"; "temu" is a tree used by Mapuches for medicinal purposes. The city is located 670 km south of Santiago...
, about 400 km (250 mi) from the epicenter. The adobe of some buildings fell. Façades fell in pieces and crushed cars. Two people were reported dead because of not having been able to escape from a nightclub. On February 27, it was reported that "to find an open business is almost impossible" ("Encontrar un negocio abierto es casi imposible").
In Chile, 370,000 homes were damaged. The final death toll of 525 victims and 25 people missing was announced by authorities in January 2011.. This is down from early reports on March 3 of 802 people dead.
The Chilean National Emergency Office (Oficina Nacional de Emergencia
ONEMI
ONEMI or Oficina Nacional de Emergencia del Ministerio del Interior is a Chilean government agency dedicated to the prevention, organization, coordination and information relative to natural disasters. After the 1960 Valdivia earthquake a committee was formed to solve problems caused by the...
) estimated that the intensity of the earthquake was 9 on the Mercalli scale in the Biobío Region and 8 in Santiago. USGS put the intensity in Talcahuano
Talcahuano
Talcahuano is a port city and commune in the Biobío Region of Chile. It is part of the Greater Concepción conurbation. Talcahuano is located in the south of the Central Zone of Chile.-Geography:...
at MM VIII, in Santiago and Concepción at MM VII and in Valparaíso at MM VI.
On March 10, Swiss Reinsurance Co. estimated that the Chilean quake would cost the insurance industry between 4 and 7 billion dollars. And this is the same estimate made by the rival German-based Munich Re AG.
Modified Mercalli intensities for some localities
| Locality | Country | USGS | SS | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angol Angol Angol is a commune and capital city of the Malleco Province in the Araucanía Region of southern Chile. It is located at the foot of the Nahuelbuta Range and next to the Vergara River, that permitted communications by small boats to the Bío-Bío River and Concepción. This strategic position explains... |
 Chile |
VII | 45k | |
| Antofagasta Antofagasta Antofagasta is a port city in northern Chile, about north of Santiago. It is the capital of Antofagasta Province and Antofagasta Region. According to the 2002 census, the city has a population of 296,905... |
Chile |
II | ||
| Arauco Arauco, Chile Arauco is a city and commune in Chile, located in Arauco Province in the Biobio Region. The meaning of Arauco means Chalky Water in Mapudungun. The region was a Moluche aillarehue... |
Chile |
VIII | 25k | |
| Buín Buin Buin may refer to:* Buin, Chile* Buin va Miandasht, Iran* Buin Zahra, Iran* Buin-e Sofla, Iran* Buin, Papua New Guinea on Bougainville Island... |
Chile |
VII | 55k | |
| Bulnes | VII | 13k | ||
| Cabrero | VII | 18k | ||
| Calama Calama, Chile Calama is a city and commune in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile. It is the capital of El Loa Province, part of the Antofagasta Region. Calama is one of the driest cities in the world with average annual precipitation of just . The River Loa, Chile's longest, flows through the city... |
Chile |
II | ||
| Cañete | Chile |
VII | 20k | |
| Carahue Carahue Carahue is a city and commune in southern Chile. It is located 56 km west of Temuco, on the northern bank of the Imperial River.The city was founded as La Imperial April 16, 1552 by Pedro de Valdivia.... |
Chile |
VI | 12k | |
| Cauquenes Cauquenes Cauquenes, a city and commune in Chile, is the capital of the Cauquenes Province and is located in the Maule Region.-History:According to the historical records of Alonso de Ercilla, Cauquenes was originally inhabited by an indigenous community of the Promaucaes, known as the Cauqui by the Inca or... |
Chile |
VII | 31k | |
| Chiguayante Chiguayante Chiguayante is a Chilean city and commune in Concepción Province, Biobío Region. It is part of Greater Concepción.-Demographics:According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Chiguayante spans an area of and has 81,302 inhabitants . Of these, 81,238 lived in urban areas and 64... |
Chile |
VII | 83k | |
| Chillán Chillán Chillán is a city in the Biobío Region of Chile located about south of the country's capital, Santiago, near the geographical center of the country. It is the capital of Ñuble Province and, with a population of approximately 170,000 people , the most populated urban center of this province... |
Chile |
VII | 150k | |
| Chimbarongo Chimbarongo Chimbarongo, Chile, is a city and commune located south of Santiago in the Colchagua Province of the O'Higgins Region. Many of the people of Chimbarongo make their living weaving wickerwork, or "mimbre", baskets.-Demographics:... |
Chile |
VII | 17k | |
| Coihueco Coihueco Coihueco is a Chilean commune and city in Ñuble Province, Biobío Region. It is located near Chillán, the provincial capital. Coihueco borders San Carlos and San Fabián on the north, Argentina on the east, Pinto on the South, and Chillán on the west.... |
Chile |
VII | 7k | |
| Collipulli Collipulli Collipulli is a city and commune forming part of the Malleco Province in the Araucanía Region in southern Chile. Its name means "coloured lands" in the Mapuche language spoken in the area. It has a population of 22,354 and an area of... |
Chile |
VII | 16k | |
| Concepción Concepción, Chile Concepción is a city in Chile, capital of Concepción Province and of the Biobío Region or Region VIII. Greater Concepción is the second-largest conurbation in the country, with 889,725 inhabitants... |
Chile |
VII | IX | 215k |
| Constitución Constitución, Chile Constitución is a seaside resort, industrial city, minor port and commune in Chile, located in the Maule Region, Talca Province.-History:-8.8 magnitude 2010 earthquake:... |
Chile |
VII | 38k | |
| Copiapó Copiapó Copiapó is a city in northern Chile, located about 40 miles east of the coastal town of Caldera. Founded on December 8, 1744, it is the capital of Copiapó Province and Atacama Region.... |
Chile |
III | ||
| Coquimbo Coquimbo Coquimbo is a port city, commune and capital of the Elqui Province, located on the Pan-American Highway, in the Coquimbo Region of Chile. Coquimbo lies in a valley south of La Serena, with which it forms Greater La Serena with more than 400,000 inhabitants. The commune spans an area around the... |
Chile |
III | ||
| Coronel | Chile |
VIII | 93k | |
| Corral Corral Corral is a town, commune and sea port in Los Ríos Region, Chile. It is located south of Corral Bay. Corral is best known for the forts of Corral Bay, a system of defensive batteries and forts made to protect Valdivia during colonial times. Corral was the headquarters of the system... |
Chile |
IV | 4k | |
| Curanilahue Curanilahue Curanilahue is a Chilean commune and city in Arauco Province, Biobío Region.-Demographics:According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Curanilahue spans an area of and has 31,943 inhabitants . Of these, 30,126 lived in urban areas and 1,817 in rural areas... |
Chile |
VII | 31k | |
| Curicó Curicó Curicó , meaning "Black Waters" in Mapudungun , is the capital city of the Curicó Province, part of the Maule Region in Chile's central valley.... |
Chile |
VII | 102k | |
| Cutral-Co | IV | 47k | ||
| El Monte | VII | 23k | ||
| Freire Freire Freire is a word used in the Portuguese and Galician languages to define the occupational name for a friar, or a nickname for a pious person or someone employed at a monastery... |
Chile |
VI | 8k | |
| General Roca General Roca General Roca may refer to a number of things and places named after Argentine military Julio Argentino Roca:Places;Argentina*General Roca, Río Negro*General Roca Department, Río Negro*General Roca Department, Córdoba... |
IV | 73k | ||
| Graneros Graneros Graneros is a Chilean commune and city in Cachapoal Province, O'Higgins Region.-Demographics:According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Graneros spans an area of and has 25,961 inhabitants . Of these, 22,674 lived in urban areas and 3,287 in rural areas... |
Chile |
VII | 23k | |
| Hacienda La Calera | VII | 49k | ||
| Huayco Huayco A huayco or huaico is a Peruvian term that refers to a flash flood caused by torrential rains occurring high in the mountains, especially during the weather known as El Niño.... |
Chile |
III | ||
| Illapel Illapel Illapel is a Chilean city, which is the capital of the Choapa Province, Coquimbo Region. It lies along the Illapel River and marks the country's narrowest point along a parallel .It's located to the east of Los Vilos.-Administration:... |
Chile |
V | 23k | |
| La Laja | Chile |
VII | 17k | |
| La Ligua La Ligua La Ligua is a Chilean city and commune, capital of the Petorca Province in Valparaíso Region.The city is known for its textile manufacturing and typical Chilean pastry production.-Demographics:... |
Chile |
VI | 25k | |
| La Unión La Unión, Chile La Unión is a city and commune of the Ranco Province in the Los Rios Region in Chile. It is situated approximately 40 km north of Osorno and 80 km south east of Valdivia. It covers an area of approximately 2136.7 km² and has a population of 39.447 of which 25,615 are considered part... |
Chile |
IV | 26k | |
| Lampa Lampa, Chile Lampa is a Chilean commune and city in the Chacabuco province, Santiago Metropolitan Region. Lampa is situated near the Chicauma mountain range, part of which was added to the La Campana National Park.-Demographics:... |
Chile |
VII | 29k | |
| Las Ánimas Las Ánimas Las Ánimas is a village in the municipality of Molinicos, province of Albacete, in the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha, Spain.... |
V | 30k | ||
| Las Gaviotas | V | 2k | ||
| Lautaro Lautaro, Chile Lautaro is a city and commune of the Cautín Province in Chile's Araucanía Region. The area is named in honor of Lautaro, Mapuche leader during the War of Arauco.-Demographics:... |
Chile |
VII | 22k | |
| Lebu Lebu, Chile Lebu is a port city and commune in central Chile administered by the Municipality of Lebu. Lebu is also the capital of Arauco Province in Bío-Bío Region... |
Chile |
VII | 22k | |
| Limache Limache Limache is a Chilean city and commune in the Marga Marga Province, Valparaíso Region. Limache is the only commune of Chile that has two cities. First San Francisco de Limache is to the north of the Matting of Limache, towards the south is Limache Viejo... |
Chile |
VI | 36k | |
| Linares Linares, Chile Linares is a Chilean city and commune located in the Maule Region and lies in the fertile Chilean Central Valley, south of Santiago and south of Talca, the regional capital... |
Chile |
VII | 70k | |
| Llaillay | Chile |
VI | 17k | |
| Loncoche Loncoche Loncoche is a city and commune in the Araucanía Region, southern Chile. It is located near the border to Los Ríos Region and the city of Lanco.Loncoche is a major centre for milk production... |
Chile |
V | 16k | |
| Longaví Longaví Longaví is a Chilean city and commune located in Linares Province, one of the four provinces that make up the Maule Region, in the geographical center of Chile.-Geography:... |
Chile |
VII | 6k | |
| Los Andes Los Andes, Chile Los Andes, founded in July 31, 1791 as Santa Rosa de Los Andes, is a Chilean city and commune located in the province of the same name, in Valparaíso Region... |
Chile |
VI | 57k | |
| Los Ángeles Los Ángeles Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants... |
Chile |
VII | 125k | |
| Lota Lota, Chile Lota is a city and commune located in the center of the Chile on the Gulf of Arauco. It lies within the Concepción Province of the Biobío Region.-History:... |
Chile |
VII | 50k | |
| Machali Machali Machali is a village in Belgaum district in the southwestern state of Karnataka, India.... |
Chile |
VI | 28k | |
| Melipilla Melipilla Melipilla is a Chilean commune and capital city of the province of the same name, located in the Santiago Metropolitan Region southwest of the nation's capital... |
Chile |
VII | 63k | |
| Mendoza Mendoza, Argentina Mendoza is the capital city of Mendoza Province, in Argentina. It is located in the northern-central part of the province, in a region of foothills and high plains, on the eastern side of the Andes. As of the , Mendoza's population was 110,993... |
 Argentina |
IV | 877k | |
| Molina Molina, Chile Molina is a Chilean city and commune in Curicó Province, Maule Region.-Demographics:According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Molina spans an area of and has 38,521 inhabitants . Of these, 28,232 lived in urban areas and 10,289 in rural areas... |
Chile |
VII | 29k | |
| Mulchén Mulchén Mulchén is a city and commune in Biobío Province of Biobío Region, Chile. It was first settled in 1871 by soldiers during the so called Pacification of the Araucania. In 1875 Mulchén was officially founded.... |
Chile |
VII | 22k | |
| Nacimiento Nacimiento, Chile Nacimiento is a Chilean city situated in the Biobío Province, Biobío Region, south of Santiago, and from the closest major city in the region, Concepción.... |
Chile |
VII | 21k | |
| Neuquén Neuquén Neuquén is the name of the following things:* Neuquén, Argentina* Neuquén Province* Neuquén River* Neuquén Group... |
Argentina |
IV | 242k | |
| Nueva Imperial Nueva Imperial Nueva Imperial is a city and commune in the south of Chile. It is located in Cautín Province in the Araucanía Region. Nueva Imperial lies about to the west of Temuco, the regional capital.-Geography:... |
Chile |
VI | 19k | |
| Osorno Osorno, Chile Osorno is a city and commune in southern Chile and capital of Osorno Province in the Los Lagos Region. It had a population of 145,475, as of the 2002 census... |
Chile |
V | 136k | |
| Paine Paine, Chile Paine is a Chilean city, forming part of Greater Santiago, and a commune in the Maipo Province, Santiago Metropolitan Region.-Demographics:According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Paine spans an area of and has 50,028 inhabitants . Of these, 31,622 lived in urban areas... |
Chile |
VII | 33k | |
| Panguipulli Panguipulli Panguipulli is city and commune in Valdivia Province, southern Chile, administered by the Municipality of Panguipulli. The town is known for its natural beauty and is called "City of roses" . Panguipulli is located on the western edge of Panguipulli Lake, and is on a moraine in the Chilean Central... |
Chile |
V | 16k | |
| Parral Parral, Chile Parral is a city and commune and in the Linares Province of central Chile's seventh region of Maule.-History:Parral was founded in 1795 by the Viceroy of Peru, Ambrosio O'Higgins... |
Chile |
VII | 27k | |
| Penaflor Peñaflor, Chile Peñaflor is a city and commune of the Talagante Province in central Chile's Santiago Metropolitan Region.-Geography:It can be found in the Chilean Central Valley approximately southwest of the metropolitan area of Santiago... |
Chile |
VII | 66k | |
| Penco Penco Penco is a Chilean city and commune in Concepción Province, Biobío Region on the Bay of Concepción. Founded as the city of Concepción del Nuevo Extremo on February 12, 1550 by Pedro de Valdivia, it is the third oldest city in the country after Santiago founded first in 1541 and La Serena second... |
Chile |
VII | 46k | |
| Pitrufquen Pitrufquén Pitrufquén is a Chilean city and commune in Cautín Province, Araucanía Region. The city is located 30 km south of Temuco and lies immediately south of the Toltén River, along Chile Highway 5.-History:... |
Chile |
VI | 14k | |
| Puerto Montt Puerto Montt Puerto Montt is a port city and commune in southern Chile, located at the northern end of the Reloncaví Sound in the Llanquihue Province, Los Lagos Region. The commune spans an area of and had a population of 175,938 in 2002. It is located 1,055 km to the south of the capital, Santiago... |
Chile |
V | ||
| Quillota Quillota Quillota is a city and commune located in the Aconcagua River valley of central Chile's Valparaíso Region. It is the capital and largest city of the Quillota Province where many inhabitants live in the surrounding farm areas of San Isidro, La Palma, Pocochay, and San Pedro... |
Chile |
VII | 68k | |
| Quilpué | Chile |
VII | 130k | |
| Rancagua Rancagua Rancagua is a city and commune in central Chile, part of the Rancagua conurbation. It is the capital of the Cachapoal Province and of the O'Higgins Region, located south of the national capital of Santiago. It had a 2002 population of 214,344... |
Chile |
VII | VIII | 213k |
| Rengo | Chile |
VII | 38k | |
| Río Bueno Río Bueno, Chile Río Bueno is a city and commune in southern Chile administered by the Municipality of Río Bueno. It is located in Ranco Province in Los Ríos Region... |
Chile |
IV | 15k | |
| Salamanca Salamanca Salamanca is a city in western Spain, in the community of Castile and León. Because it is known for its beautiful buildings and urban environment, the Old City was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. It is the most important university city in Spain and is known for its contributions to... |
Chile |
V | 13k | |
| San Antonio | Chile |
VII | 86k | |
| San Bernardo San Bernardo, Chile San Bernardo is a Chilean city and commune. It is the capital of the Maipo Province in the Santiago Metropolitan Region. It is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Bernardo.-Demographics:... |
Chile |
VI | 250k | |
| San Carlos San Carlos, Chile San Carlos is the name of a city and commune of Ñuble Province in the Biobío Region of Chile.-Geography and agriculture:... |
VII | 32k | ||
| San Clemente | Chile |
VII | 14k | |
| San Felipe San Felipe, Chile San Felipe is a commune and the capital city of the San Felipe de Aconcagua Province in central Chile's Valparaíso Region. It is located north of the national capital of Santiago... |
Chile |
VII | 59k | |
| San Javier San Javier, Chile San Javier is a Chilean city and commune located in the Province of Linares, Maule Region. The city lies in the geographical center of the country, some south of Santiago, to the northwest of the provincial capital, Linares, and to the south of Talca, the regional capital... |
Chile |
VII | 22k | |
| San Juan San Juan, Argentina San Juan is the capital city of the Argentine province of San Juan in the Cuyo region, located in the Tulúm Valley, west of the San Juan River, at above mean sea level, with a population of around 112,000 as per the .... |
Argentina |
IV | 447k | |
| San Luis San Luis, Argentina -External links:* * *... |
IV | 184k | ||
| San Martín San Martín de los Andes -References:* - Official website.-External links:*... |
IV | 83k | ||
| San Rafael San Rafael, Chile San Rafael is a town and commune of the Talca Province in the Maule Region of Chile. The town serves as the communal capital.-Demographics:According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, San Rafael spans an area of and has 7,674 inhabitants . Of these, 3,482 lived in urban... |
IV | 109k | ||
| San Vicente | VII | 23k | ||
| Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, Chile Santa Cruz is a Chilean city and commune, located in the Colchagua valley, in the O'Higgins Region, placed in the southern shore of Tinguiririca river, 110 miles from Santiago, Chile's capital city and 27 miles from San Fernando-History:... |
VII | 33k | ||
| Santiago Santiago, Chile Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level... |
Chile |
VII | VIII | 4,837k |
| Talagante Talagante Talagante is a commune and the capital city of the province of the same name in the Santiago Metropolitan Region of central Chile. The word Talagante in Quechua comes from talacanta, meaning "Lazo de Hechicero", which was the proper name of the curaca, or ruler, who dominated this central valley on... |
Chile |
VII | 52k | |
| Talca Talca Talca is a city and commune in Chile located about south of Santiago, and is the capital of both Talca Province and Maule Region . As of the 2002 census, the city had a population of 193,755.... |
Chile |
VII | VIII | 197k |
| Talcahuano Talcahuano Talcahuano is a port city and commune in the Biobío Region of Chile. It is part of the Greater Concepción conurbation. Talcahuano is located in the south of the Central Zone of Chile.-Geography:... |
Chile |
VII | 253k | |
| Temuco Temuco Temuco is a city and commune, capital of the Cautín Province and of the Araucanía Region in southern Chile. The name comes from the Mapudungun language, meaning "temu water"; "temu" is a tree used by Mapuches for medicinal purposes. The city is located 670 km south of Santiago... |
Chile |
VI | VIII | 238k |
| Teno Teno Teno is a Chilean city and commune in the Curicó Province, Maule Region. A large percentage of inhabitants are of mestizo and Mapuche Indian origin... |
Chile |
VII | 7k | |
| Tierra Amarilla | Chile |
III | ||
| Tomé Tomé Tomé is a port city and commune in the Biobío Region of Chile. It is bordered by Coelemu to the north, Ránquil and Florida to the east, Penco to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west... |
Chile |
VII | 47k | |
| Traiguén Traiguén Traiguén is a Chilean city and commune in the Malleco Province, Araucanía Region.-Demographics:According to the 2002 census of the National Statistics Institute, Traiguén spans an area of and has 19,534 inhabitants . Of these, 14,140 lived in urban areas and 5,394 in rural areas... |
Chile |
VII | 14k | |
| Valdivia Valdivia -Geography:*Chile** Valdivia, Chile, a city and municipality in the Province of Valdivia** Valdivia River, a river which begins in the city of Valdivia** Valdivia Province, the Province of Valdivia... |
Chile |
V | VI | 133k |
| Valparaíso Valparaíso Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region... |
Chile |
VII | VI | 282k |
| Victoria Victoria, Chile Victoria is a city and commune in Malleco Province of Araucanía Region, Chile. It is the second most populous city in the province of Malleco, and is the gateway to the area known as Araucanía Andina, with attractions such as the Tolhuaca National Park , the Baths of Tolhuaca Malalcahuello National... |
Chile |
VII | 25k | |
| Vicuña Vicuña The vicuña or vicugna is one of two wild South American camelids, along with the guanaco, which live in the high alpine areas of the Andes. It is a relative of the llama, and is now believed to share a wild ancestor with domesticated alpacas, which are raised for their fibre... |
Chile |
III-IV | ||
| Vilcún Vilcún Vilcún is a Chilean town and commune in Cautín Province, Araucanía Region. The town is an important gateway for tourists visiting Conguillío National Park and Llaima volcano.... |
Chile |
VI | 9k | |
| Villa Alemana Villa Alemana Villa Alemana is a city and commune in Chile's Zona Central. It was founded in 1896 by Italian and German immigrants. Villa Alemana is a part of the urban area known as Greater Valparaiso.- History :... |
Chile |
VI | 97k | |
| Villarrica Villarrica, Chile Villarrica is a city and commune in southern Chile located on the western shore of Villarrica Lake in the Province of Cautín, Araucanía Region south of Santiago and close to the Villarrica Volcano ski center to the south east. Residents of Villarrica are known as Villarriquences.Tourism, grain and... |
Chile |
VII | 32k | |
| Viña del Mar Viña del Mar Viña del Mar , is a city and commune on central Chile's Pacific coast. Its long stretches of white sandy beaches are a major attraction for national and international tourists. The city is Chile's main tourist attraction. Known as "La Ciudad Jardín" , Viña del Mar is a Chilean Municipality located... |
Chile |
VI | VI | 295k |
| Yumbel Yumbel Yumbel is a town and commune of the Province of Bío-Bío in the region of the same name, Chile.-History:Yumbel originated from the small fort of San Felipe de Austria, raised in 1585 by Governor Alonso de Sotomayor, on the cerro del Centinela... |
Chile |
VII | 11k |
Notes: USGS=United States Geological Survey, SS=Chile's Seismological Service.
Identified fatalities
| Region | 27. February | 28. February | 1. March | 2. March | 3. March | 4. March | 5. March | 8. March |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valparaíso Valparaíso Region The V Valparaíso Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions.Valparaíso Region, 2006 With the country's third highest population of 1,539,852 million in 2002 and third smallest area of , the region is Chile's second most densely populated after the Santiago Metropolitan Region... |
4 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 16 | 24 | |
| Metropolitana | 13 | 36 | 38 | 38 | 38 | 21 | 23 | |
| O'Higgins O'Higgins Region The VI O'Higgins Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. It is subdivided into three provinces. It is named in honour of Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme, one of Chile's founding fathers.... |
12 | 46 | 48 | 48 | 48 | 3 | 46 | |
| Maule Maule Region The VII Maule Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. Its capital is Talca. The region takes its name from the Maule River which, running westward from the Andes, bisects the region and spans a basin of about 20,600 km2... |
34 | 541 | 544 | 587 | 587 | 177 | 269 | |
| Biobio | 10 | 64 | 64 | 92 | 92 | 56 | 120 | |
| Araucanía Araucanía Region The IX Araucanía Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions and comprises two provinces: Malleco in the north and Cautín in the south.... |
5 | 5 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 6 | 15 | |
| National total | 78 | 708 | 723 | 796 | 799 | 279 | 452 | 497 |
Population with destroyed or severely damaged homes
The table below shows the percentage of the population whose homes were destroyed or were severely damaged by the earthquake and tsunami in the six most affected regions. The data was collected in May and June of 2010.| Region | % of pop. |
|---|---|
| Valparaíso Valparaíso Region The V Valparaíso Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions.Valparaíso Region, 2006 With the country's third highest population of 1,539,852 million in 2002 and third smallest area of , the region is Chile's second most densely populated after the Santiago Metropolitan Region... |
7.4 |
| Santiago Santiago Metropolitan Region Santiago Metropolitan Region or simply Metropolitan Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. It is the country's only landlocked administrative region and contains the nation's capital, Santiago... |
4.8 |
| O'Higgins O'Higgins Region The VI O'Higgins Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. It is subdivided into three provinces. It is named in honour of Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme, one of Chile's founding fathers.... |
12.2 |
| Maule Maule Region The VII Maule Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. Its capital is Talca. The region takes its name from the Maule River which, running westward from the Andes, bisects the region and spans a basin of about 20,600 km2... |
20.7 |
| Biobío | 17.8 |
| Araucanía Araucanía Region The IX Araucanía Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions and comprises two provinces: Malleco in the north and Cautín in the south.... |
5.1 |
| Total (six regions) | 8.8 |
Source: Casen Post-Earthquake Survey, Ministry of Planning.
Humanitarian response
Despite President Michelle BacheletMichelle Bachelet
Verónica Michelle Bachelet Jeria is a Social Democrat politician who was President of Chile from 11 March 2006 to 11 March 2010. She was the first woman president of her country...
's earlier statement that Chile would only ask for international aid once it had assessed the extent of the damage, leaders of many countries and intergovernmental organizations, including the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
and European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, responded to the earthquake and sent messages of condolence to the government and people of Chile over the loss of lives and property. Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
, and Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
were among the countries that responded earliest following the quake. Appeals for humanitarian aid
Humanitarian aid
Humanitarian aid is material or logistical assistance provided for humanitarian purposes, typically in response to humanitarian crises including natural disaster and man-made disaster. The primary objective of humanitarian aid is to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity...
were issued by the UK-based Oxfam
Oxfam
Oxfam is an international confederation of 15 organizations working in 98 countries worldwide to find lasting solutions to poverty and related injustice around the world. In all Oxfam’s actions, the ultimate goal is to enable people to exercise their rights and manage their own lives...
, Save the Children
Save the Children
Save the Children is an internationally active non-governmental organization that enforces children's rights, provides relief and helps support children in developing countries...
and others.
Chilean television host Don Francisco
Don Francisco (television host)
Mario Luis Kreutzberger Blumenfeld , better known by his stage name, Don Francisco, is a Chilean television personality, and a popular television personality on the Univision network reaching Spanish-speaking viewers in the United States...
led a telethon called Chile helps Chile
Chile helps Chile
Chile ayuda a Chile was a charity telethon being held from March 5 to March 6, 2010. The event was broadcast from Teatro Teletón in Santiago, Chile....
with the goal of raising 15 billion pesos
Chilean peso
The peso is the currency of Chile. The current peso has circulated since 1975, with a previous version circulating between 1817 and 1960. The symbol used locally for it is $. The ISO 4217 code for the present peso is CLP. It is subdivided into 100 centavos, although no centavo denominated coins...
(about US$29 million) needed to build 30,000 emergency houses ("mediagua
Mediagua
Mediagua, is the name given in Chile to a type of prefabricated house, constructed of wood panels, which can be erected in less than a day. The traditional model has an area of ....
s"). The charity event, which ran for 24 hours in Santiago starting on Friday March 5 at 22:00, was summoned by the government and organized by several Chilean NGOs. At 23:00 on Saturday the goal was doubled, collecting 30.2 billion pesos (about US$58 million).
The Chilean NGO Un Techo para Chile constructed 23,886 transitional houses for families affected by the earthquake.
Chaos and disorder
Nearly half the places in the country were declared "catastrophe zones", and curfews were imposed in some areas of looting and public disorder. On February 28, 2010, a day after the earthquake, some affected cities were chaotic, with extensive looting of supermarkets in ConcepciónConcepción, Chile
Concepción is a city in Chile, capital of Concepción Province and of the Biobío Region or Region VIII. Greater Concepción is the second-largest conurbation in the country, with 889,725 inhabitants...
. Items stolen included not only food and other necessities, but also electronic goods and other durable merchandise. To control vandalism, a special force of carabineros
Carabineros de Chile
thumb|250px|Carabineros de Chile, patrolling a street in [[Santiago, Chile|Santiago]]The Carabiniers of Chile, are the uniformed Chilean national police force and gendarmerie, created on April 27, 1927. Their mission is to maintain order and create public respect for the laws of the country...
was sent to disperse rioters with tear gas and water cannons. However, despite these and other government acts (including the curfew
Curfew
A curfew is an order specifying a time after which certain regulations apply. Examples:# An order by a government for certain persons to return home daily before a certain time...
s), pillaging continued in both urban and rural areas of the affected zones. Reportedly, military police arrested 160 in Concepción on March 1 and 2.
In Concepción, despite the militarization of the zone, mobs continued to steal from supermarkets and went as far as to set one store ablaze. The government warned looters they would face the full weight of the law, as penalties for stealing are increased under a state of catastrophe. A week after the quake the police —tipped by neighbors— arrested three people with massive quantities of looted goods stashed in their homes. Other looted goods such as mattresses, furniture, television sets and other electronic appliances were abandoned in the streets of Concepción during the following days.
According to the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
on March 5, the city and fishing port of Talcahuano
Talcahuano
Talcahuano is a port city and commune in the Biobío Region of Chile. It is part of the Greater Concepción conurbation. Talcahuano is located in the south of the Central Zone of Chile.-Geography:...
, which lies but a few kilometers down the coast from Concepción, has been left largely to fend for itself. Neighbourhood vigilante groups, including one led by a public works employee with a gun license, and the few police present allow such behavior as residents' siphoning fuel from tanks at a petrol station, but step in if someone starts to attack a cash machine. One man stated, "I've personally saved dozens of people from attack in this apartment block."
Chileans living in regions not affected by the earthquake (including those living abroad) also grieved, as they sought to learn more regarding kinsmen and friends affected by the earthquake. In the hardest-hit zones there was no communication with the exterior because of the failure of electricity and the destruction of telephone lines.
Prison escape
In the prison of El ManzanoEl Manzano (prison)
El Manzano is a prison in the city of Concepción, Chile. After the 2010 Chile earthquake a prison riot began following a failed escape attempt by the inmates...
in Concepción, a prison riot
Prison riot
A prison riot is an act of concerted defiance or disorder by a group of prisoners against the prison administrators, prison officers, or other groups of prisoners in attempt to force change or express a grievance....
began after a failed escape attempt by the inmates. Different parts of the prison were set afire and the riot was brought under control only after the guards shot into the air and received help from military units.
By March 1, prison guards in Chillán had recaptured 36 of 203 prisoners who had escaped following the earthquake. During their escape, prisoners burned seven houses close to the prison. A witness in Chillán
Chillán
Chillán is a city in the Biobío Region of Chile located about south of the country's capital, Santiago, near the geographical center of the country. It is the capital of Ñuble Province and, with a population of approximately 170,000 people , the most populated urban center of this province...
asserted that he had been robbed by prisoners with a machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
who had also forced his girlfriend
Girlfriend
Girlfriend is a term that can refer to either a female partner in a non-marital romantic relationship or a female non-romantic friend that is closer than other friends....
to kiss them. Another witness alleged sexual molestation
Sexual abuse
Sexual abuse, also referred to as molestation, is the forcing of undesired sexual behavior by one person upon another. When that force is immediate, of short duration, or infrequent, it is called sexual assault. The offender is referred to as a sexual abuser or molester...
by around twenty men who were believed to be escaped prisoners. The leading Chilean newspaper El Mercurio
El Mercurio
El Mercurio is a conservative Chilean newspaper with editions in Valparaíso and Santiago. Its Santiago edition is considered the country's paper-of-record and its Valparaíso edition is the oldest daily in the Spanish language currently in circulation. El Mercurio is owned by El Mercurio S.A.P...
described the situation in Chillán as reminiscent of the "Wild West".
Government response
Four hours after the earthquake, when the death count was still low, President Bachelet gave a press conference in which she informed the population of the situation and stated that Chile did not yet need international aid.However, about two million people were affected by the quake with more than 500,000 houses uninhabitable. In many cities, people slept in tents, in parks or simply on the streets for fear of aftershocks. The government began distributing food and other vital aid around the country.
On February 28, President Bachelet said that her government had reached an agreement with the major supermarkets which would allow them to give away basic foodstuffs in stock to people affected by the earthquake.
By February 28, the Santiago Metro
Santiago Metro
Metro de Santiago is South America's most extensive metro system with 5 lines, 108 stations and 103 kilometres of track making it the second longest in Latin America after that of Mexico City. The metro system serves the city of Santiago, Chile. Three of the lines are rubber-tyred...
rapid-transit network was already partially up and running and expected to be fully operative on the following day, March 1.
On March 4, President-elect Sebastián Piñera
Sebastián Piñera
Miguel Juan Sebastián Piñera Echenique is a Chilean businessman and politician. He was elected President of Chile in January 2010, taking office in March 2010.- Education :...
, who assumed office on March 11, was quoted as saying that his goals were "to cope with the emergency needs of citizens, find people who are still missing, provide prompt and timely assistance to the sick and wounded, and restore law and order so that people can return to peace."
Economic recovery
Authorities of the central port city of San Antonio speaking on March 3, 2010, stated that the port had returned to eighty percent of capacity. On the same date, Raul Maturana, a spokesman for the Federation of Port Workers' union, stated that the port of Valparaíso was operating normally. However, ports in southern Chile, which were closer to the epicenter, remained closed.On March 4, President Bachelet said that Chile would need international loans and three to four years to rebuild.
Food scarcity
On March 10 the National Commission for Agricultural emergencies (CNEA) assured that milk and wheat prices would not rise, despite fears of lack of fuel supply for transport and harvest of these products. In the same CNEA report the mill associations of central and southern Chile are said to have expressed that they had currently no production difficulties. Despite of this in March 11 newspaper La Segunda cited the president of the bakeries association complaining on unjustified price rises for flourFlour
Flour is a powder which is made by grinding cereal grains, other seeds or roots . It is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many cultures, making the availability of adequate supplies of flour a major economic and political issue at various times throughout history...
, who said of cases of price rises of 10 to 20%.
The earthquake affected production at the Compañía de Cervecerías Unidas
Compañía de Cervecerías Unidas
CCU is a Chilean company of the diversified beverages, but operates in the food sector founded in 1902. With operations in Chile and Argentina....
(CCU) and Cervecería Chile factories that together have a 90% share of the Chilean beer market. With an average annual per capita consumption of 36 liters, scarcity caused prices to rise from 990-1500 to 2000 Chilean peso
Chilean peso
The peso is the currency of Chile. The current peso has circulated since 1975, with a previous version circulating between 1817 and 1960. The symbol used locally for it is $. The ISO 4217 code for the present peso is CLP. It is subdivided into 100 centavos, although no centavo denominated coins...
s per litre. CCU responded by increasing capacity of their plant in Temuco
Temuco
Temuco is a city and commune, capital of the Cautín Province and of the Araucanía Region in southern Chile. The name comes from the Mapudungun language, meaning "temu water"; "temu" is a tree used by Mapuches for medicinal purposes. The city is located 670 km south of Santiago...
that did not suffer major damage during the earthquake and by importing beer from their factories in Argentina. 50 trucks with beer are reported to have reached Santiago from Argentina. In March 2010, ten CCU executives said that the country will not run out of beer and that within two to three months production levels would be normalized. Liquor store owners expressed complaints regarding CCU's beer rationing
Rationing
Rationing is the controlled distribution of scarce resources, goods, or services. Rationing controls the size of the ration, one's allotted portion of the resources being distributed on a particular day or at a particular time.- In economics :...
. The scarcity favoured consumption of "premium beers" like Kunstmann
Kunstmann
Kunstmann is a Chilean beer produced in Torobayo, Valdivia. The production begun when the German-Chilean family Kunstmann started to brew for personal use in the 1960s, after Valdivia's main brewery Anwandter was destroyed by the 1960 Valdivia earthquake...
and Paceña
Paceña
Paceña is a Bolivian beer produced in La Paz, hence its name that means the one of La Paz. The beer is produced by CBN a company that dates back to 1877 and that controls 80% percent of the Bolivian beer market. Paceña is made at about 3600 meters above sea level with purified water from the Andes....
.
Tsunami
A tsunami warningTsunami warning system
A Tsunami warning system is used to detect tsunamis in advance and issue warnings to prevent loss of life and damage. It consists of two equally important components: a network of sensors to detect tsunamis and a communications infrastructure to issue timely alarms to permit evacuation of coastal...
was first declared for Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
and Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, and a tsunami watch for Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, Antarctica, Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
and Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
. The warning was later extended to a Pacific Ocean-wide warning, covering all coastal areas on the Pacific Ocean except the west coast of the United States, British Columbia, and Alaska. Hawaiian media reported that tsunami warning sirens first sounded at 06:00 local time. The U.S. Tsunami Warning Center issued advisories about potential tidal waves of less than 1 m (3.3 ft) striking the Pacific Ocean coastline between California and most of Alaska late in the afternoon or through the evening 12 or more hours after the initial earthquake.
Although the earthquake killed far fewer people than the Haitian earthquake less than 7 weeks prior, it was still devastating.
The tsunami warning was cancelled for all countries except Japan and Russia in PTWC Bulletin 18 of 00:12 UTC on 28 February 2010.
In general, tsunamis tend to come in several waves, of which the first may not be the highest.
The U.S. National Weather Service
National Weather Service
The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
's Pacific Tsunami Warning Center
Pacific Tsunami Warning Center
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center is one of two tsunami warning centers that are operated by NOAA in the United States. Headquartered in Ewa Beach, Hawaii, the PTWC is part of an international tsunami warning system program and serves as the operational center for TWS of the Pacific issuing...
issued a tsunami warning
Tsunami warning system
A Tsunami warning system is used to detect tsunamis in advance and issue warnings to prevent loss of life and damage. It consists of two equally important components: a network of sensors to detect tsunamis and a communications infrastructure to issue timely alarms to permit evacuation of coastal...
throughout a huge swathe of the Pacific region, including Antarctica. In the Americas
Americas
The Americas, or America , are lands in the Western hemisphere, also known as the New World. In English, the plural form the Americas is often used to refer to the landmasses of North America and South America with their associated islands and regions, while the singular form America is primarily...
, the warning extended to Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
(including Easter Island
Easter Island
Easter Island is a Polynesian island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian triangle. A special territory of Chile that was annexed in 1888, Easter Island is famous for its 887 extant monumental statues, called moai, created by the early Rapanui people...
), Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
, Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
, El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
, Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, and Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
. A warning was also issued for the Oceania
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
and Pacific Islands
Pacific Islands
The Pacific Islands comprise 20,000 to 30,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean. The islands are also sometimes collectively called Oceania, although Oceania is sometimes defined as also including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago....
nations and territories of American Samoa
American Samoa
American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, the Cook Islands
Cook Islands
The Cook Islands is a self-governing parliamentary democracy in the South Pacific Ocean in free association with New Zealand...
, the Federated States of Micronesia
Federated States of Micronesia
The Federated States of Micronesia or FSM is an independent, sovereign island nation, made up of four states from west to east: Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae. It comprises approximately 607 islands with c...
(including the FSM states of Chuuk
Chuuk
Chuuk — formerly Truk, Ruk, Hogoleu, Torres, Ugulat, and Lugulus — is an island group in the south western part of the Pacific Ocean. It comprises one of the four states of the Federated States of Micronesia , along with Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap. Chuuk is the most populous of the FSM's...
, Kosrae
Kosrae
Kosrae , formerly known as Kusaie, is an island in Micronesia. The State of Kosrae is one of four states of the Federated States of Micronesia, and includes, besides the island of Kosrae, about a dozen satellite islands and islets, the most significant of which is Lelu Island.-Geography:With a...
, Pohnpei
Pohnpei
Not to be confused with Pompeii, the ancient city destroyed by Vesuvius in AD 79.Pohnpei "upon a stone altar " is the name of one of the four states in the Federated States of Micronesia , situated among the Senyavin Islands which are part of the larger Caroline Islands group...
and Yap
Yap
Yap, also known as Wa'ab by locals, is an island in the Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean. It is a state of the Federated States of Micronesia. Yap's indigenous cultures and traditions are still strong compared to other neighboring islands. The island of Yap actually consists of four...
), Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, French Polynesia
French Polynesia
French Polynesia is an overseas country of the French Republic . It is made up of several groups of Polynesian islands, the most famous island being Tahiti in the Society Islands group, which is also the most populous island and the seat of the capital of the territory...
, Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, Jarvis Island
Jarvis Island
Jarvis Island is an uninhabited 4.5 square kilometer coral island located in the South Pacific Ocean at , about halfway between Hawaii and the Cook Islands...
, Johnston Island, the Kermadec Islands
Kermadec Islands
The Kermadec Islands are a subtropical island arc in the South Pacific Ocean northeast of New Zealand's North Island, and a similar distance southwest of Tonga...
, Kiribati
Kiribati
Kiribati , officially the Republic of Kiribati, is an island nation located in the central tropical Pacific Ocean. The permanent population exceeds just over 100,000 , and is composed of 32 atolls and one raised coral island, dispersed over 3.5 million square kilometres, straddling the...
, Marcus Island, the Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
, Midway Island, New Caledonia
New Caledonia
New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and about from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Niue
Niue
Niue , is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean. It is commonly known as the "Rock of Polynesia", and inhabitants of the island call it "the Rock" for short. Niue is northeast of New Zealand in a triangle between Tonga to the southwest, the Samoas to the northwest, and the Cook Islands to...
, the Northern Mariana Islands
Northern Mariana Islands
The Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , is a commonwealth in political union with the United States, occupying a strategic region of the western Pacific Ocean. It consists of 15 islands about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines...
, Palau
Palau
Palau , officially the Republic of Palau , is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippines and south of Tokyo. In 1978, after three decades as being part of the United Nations trusteeship, Palau chose independence instead of becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a...
, Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
, Pitcairn Islands
Pitcairn Islands
The Pitcairn Islands , officially named the Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands, form a group of four volcanic islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. The islands are a British Overseas Territory and overseas territory of the European Union in the Pacific...
, Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
, the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
, Tokelau
Tokelau
Tokelau is a territory of New Zealand in the South Pacific Ocean that consists of three tropical coral atolls with a combined land area of 10 km2 and a population of approximately 1,400...
, Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
, Tuvalu
Tuvalu
Tuvalu , formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia. Its nearest neighbours are Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa and Fiji. It comprises four reef islands and five true atolls...
, Wallis and Futuna
Wallis and Futuna
Wallis and Futuna, officially the Territory of the Wallis and Futuna Islands , is a Polynesian French island territory in the South Pacific between Tuvalu to the northwest, Rotuma of Fiji to the west, the main part of Fiji to the southwest, Tonga to the southeast,...
and Wake Island
Wake Island
Wake Island is a coral atoll having a coastline of in the North Pacific Ocean, located about two-thirds of the way from Honolulu west to Guam east. It is an unorganized, unincorporated territory of the United States, administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior...
. Tsunami warnings were also in effect as far away as East
East Asia
East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...
and Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
including Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and Taiwan
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
.
Coastal areas of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
's westernmost province British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
was under a tsunami advisory. No large wave was expected to strike British Columbia, but strong local ocean currents combined with a wave put low-lying coastal regions at risk of flooding. The first wave was expected to reach southern British Columbia at 15:11 local time. Residents were advised to avoid beaches, harbours and marinas.
A tsunami advisory was also issued for coastal areas of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, Washington and southern Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. This tsunami advisory was canceled as of 07:13
UTD on February 28.
Russian authorities lifted a tsunami alert for the Kamchatka coast, after the arrival of a 0.8 m (2.6 ft) surge that caused no damage. The tsunami was also reported to be small along the Japanese coast, and passed without incident. Many coastal areas in Japan had been evacuated as a precaution.
The projections use DART (Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis
Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis
The Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis system is a component of an enhanced tsunami warning system.- Stations :...
) gauges spread along the sea floor, which is a fairly new technology. Initial deep sea readings showed wave height of 25 centimeters, which is huge for deep water according to Gerard Fryer of the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. He went on to say, “although it was huge, we didn't quite know what it meant because we haven't much experience with those. As we get more under our belts, we'll get better."
Chile
Some 30 minutes after the first shock, consecutive tsunamis hit coastal towns, among which ConstituciónConstitución, Chile
Constitución is a seaside resort, industrial city, minor port and commune in Chile, located in the Maule Region, Talca Province.-History:-8.8 magnitude 2010 earthquake:...
suffered the hardest damage; subsequently, a tsunami amplitude of up to 2.6 m (8.5 ft) high was recorded in the sea at Valparaíso
Valparaíso
Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...
. A wave
Wave
In physics, a wave is a disturbance that travels through space and time, accompanied by the transfer of energy.Waves travel and the wave motion transfers energy from one point to another, often with no permanent displacement of the particles of the medium—that is, with little or no associated mass...
amplitude
Amplitude
Amplitude is the magnitude of change in the oscillating variable with each oscillation within an oscillating system. For example, sound waves in air are oscillations in atmospheric pressure and their amplitudes are proportional to the change in pressure during one oscillation...
of 2.34 m (7.68 ft) was recorded at Talcahuano
Talcahuano
Talcahuano is a port city and commune in the Biobío Region of Chile. It is part of the Greater Concepción conurbation. Talcahuano is located in the south of the Central Zone of Chile.-Geography:...
in the Biobío Region. Robinson Crusoe Island
Robinson Crusoe Island
Robinson Crusoe Island , formerly known as Más a Tierra , or Aguas Buenas, is the largest island of the Chilean Juan Fernández archipelago, situated 674 kilometres west of South America in the South Pacific Ocean...
, the largest of the Juan Fernández Islands
Juan Fernández Islands
The Juan Fernández Islands are a sparsely inhabited island group reliant on tourism and fishing in the South Pacific Ocean, situated about off the coast of Chile, and is composed of three main volcanic islands; Robinson Crusoe Island, Alejandro Selkirk Island and Santa Clara Island, the first...
, was struck by a large wave led to the deaths of four people on the island, with eleven people reported as missing, according to Provincial Governor Ivan De La Maza. President Bachelet is reported to have sent an aid mission to the remote island.
As a precaution against the coming tsunami, partial evacuation was ordered in Easter Island
Easter Island
Easter Island is a Polynesian island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian triangle. A special territory of Chile that was annexed in 1888, Easter Island is famous for its 887 extant monumental statues, called moai, created by the early Rapanui people...
, about 3,510 km (2,180 mi) away from the coast of Chile. The tsunami wave arrived in Easter Island at 12:05 UTC, measuring 0.35 m (1.15 ft).
On 27 February, defense minister Francisco Vidal
Francisco Vidal (Chilean politician)
Francisco Javier Vidal Salinas is a Chilean politician and Minister of National Defense from March 2009 to March 2010. Before this position he served as Minister Secretary General of Government of Chile during the administrations of Ricardo Lagos and Michelle Bachelet and Interior Minister during...
said that the Chilean Navy
Chilean Navy
-Independence Wars of Chile and Peru :The Chilean Navy dates back to 1817. A year before, following the Battle of Chacabuco, General Bernardo O'Higgins prophetically declared "this victory and another hundred shall be of no significance if we do not gain control of the sea".This led to the...
had made a mistake by not immediately issuing a tsunami warning after the earthquake, a step that could have helped coastal villagers flee to higher ground sooner. However, an alarm was later sounded by port captains and saved some lives. The head of Chile's oceanographic service SHOA
SHOA
SHOA or Servicio Hidrográfico y Oceanográfico de la Armada de Chile is an agency of the Chilean Navy managing situations dealing with hydrography and oceanography including tides and tsunamis.SHOA has faced severe criticism after the 2010 Chile earthquake, the largest earthquake since the 1960...
, which is part of the country's navy, was later fired for the organization's failure to provide clear warnings about the tsunami.
Oceania
New ZealandInitially, the New Zealand Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management (CDEM) said they did not expect a tsunami to reach New Zealand, but later issued a warning stating that waves of up to 1 m (3.3 ft) high were likely for the eastern and later the entire New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
coast. By 19:55 UTC (08:40 local), CDEM reported wave activity of 50 cm (1.6 ft) in the Chatham Islands
Chatham Islands
The Chatham Islands are an archipelago and New Zealand territory in the Pacific Ocean consisting of about ten islands within a radius, the largest of which are Chatham Island and Pitt Island. Their name in the indigenous language, Moriori, means Misty Sun...
, and 2 m (6.6 ft) surges were reported there later in the morning. A surge 2.2 m (7.2 ft) high hit the South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
's Banks Peninsula
Banks Peninsula
Banks Peninsula is a peninsula of volcanic origin on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It has an area of approximately and encompasses two large harbours and many smaller bays and coves...
, while surges up to 1 m (3.3 ft) high were reported in the northern North Island
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
. By mid afternoon (local time), Civil Defence had downgraded the tsunami warning to an alert, while still advising that sea levels could change quickly for up to 24 hours from the initial surge.
Antarctica
The U.S. Antarctic Program's coastal station along the Antarctic Peninsula
Antarctic Peninsula
The Antarctic Peninsula is the northernmost part of the mainland of Antarctica. It extends from a line between Cape Adams and a point on the mainland south of Eklund Islands....
, Palmer Station
Palmer Station
Palmer Station, on Anvers Island, is Antarctica's only US station north of the Antarctic Circle. Initial construction of the station finished in 1968. The station, like the other US Antarctic stations, is operated by the United States Antarctic Program....
, went on a tsunami alert shortly after the earthquake struck Chile. To prepare for a possible tsunami, station personnel removed all Zodiac boats from the water and moved any materials from low-lying areas that waves could have swept away. Personnel also retreated to the station’s highest building, GWR, while the tsunami warning was in effect, Ellis said. Palmer personnel developed a tsunami emergency plan following the 2004 earthquake in the Indian Ocean that created a tsunami that killed more than 230,000 people in 14 countries. While no noticeable tsunami occurred at Palmer, the station tide monitor displayed bumps of several centimeters, signifying that a small wave had indeed reached the shores of Anvers Island.
Australia
The Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Center (JATWC) sent out tsunami warnings for New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Lord Howe Island
Lord Howe Island
Lord Howe Island is an irregularly crescent-shaped volcanic remnant in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand, directly east of mainland Port Macquarie, and about from Norfolk Island. The island is about 11 km long and between 2.8 km and 0.6 km wide with an area of...
, Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island is a small island in the Pacific Ocean located between Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia. The island is part of the Commonwealth of Australia, but it enjoys a large degree of self-governance...
, Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, and Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
. The organization warned of the possibility of dangerous waves, strong ocean currents and foreshore flooding to occur on the east coast of Australia for several hours on Sunday.
As a result of the warnings, patrolled beaches in New South Wales and Queensland remained closed (red flags) and lifeguards ushered people to leave the water. However beach goers and surfers ignored the warnings. Numerous onlookers also crowded parts of the shore to view potential effects of the tsunami.
The beach ban was lifted by the end of the day and there was no reports of damage, flooding or other emergencies. Tsunami waves of between 10 cm and 50 cm were recorded and their surges were believed to have created strong currents. Increases in sea levels include: Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island is a small island in the Pacific Ocean located between Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia. The island is part of the Commonwealth of Australia, but it enjoys a large degree of self-governance...
50 cm, Gold Coast (Qld)
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
20 cm, Port Kembla (NSW) 14 cm, Southport (Tas) 17 cm.
French Polynesia
A wave measuring up to 6 ft (1.8 m) high struck portions of French Polynesia
French Polynesia
French Polynesia is an overseas country of the French Republic . It is made up of several groups of Polynesian islands, the most famous island being Tahiti in the Society Islands group, which is also the most populous island and the seat of the capital of the territory...
between 15:50 to 17:50 UTC with no reports of injuries . A wave 4 meters high is reported to have struck Hiva Oa
Hiva Oa
Hiva Oa is the second largest island in the Marquesas Islands, in French Polynesia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. It is the largest island of the Southern Marquesas group. According to local religion, the gods created the islands as their home. Therefore all islands have...
in the Marquesas Islands
Marquesas Islands
The Marquesas Islands enana and Te Fenua `Enata , both meaning "The Land of Men") are a group of volcanic islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the southern Pacific Ocean. The Marquesas are located at 9° 00S, 139° 30W...
. The first waves were expected to hit the main island of Tahiti
Tahiti
Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
at approximately 16:50 UTC (07:50 local). Cars and other automobiles were banned from roads closer than 500 m (1,640.4 ft) from the Pacific Ocean.
Réseau France Outre-mer
Réseau France Outre-mer
Réseau Outre-Mer 1ère or Outre-Mer 1ère , is a network of radio and television stations operating in France's overseas departments and territories around the world.The Outre-Mer 1ère network includes:...
in Papeete
Papeete
-Sights:* Interactive Google map of Papeete, to discover the 30 major tourist attractions in Papeete downtown.*The waterfront esplanade*Bougainville Park -Sights:* Interactive Google map of Papeete, to discover the 30 major tourist attractions in Papeete downtown.*The waterfront...
reported that a wave measuring less than 1 m (3.3 ft) passed east of the Gambier Islands
Gambier Islands
There was a time when the Gambiers hosted a population of several thousand people and traded with other island groups including the Marquesas, the Society Islands and Pitcairn Islands...
with no damage, according to Monique Richeton, the mayor of Rikitea
Rikitea
Rikitea is a village located on Mangareva island. It is the chief town of the Gambier Islands, French Polynesia. It is served by the Totegegie Airport....
. Residents of the Tuamotus
Tuamotus
The Tuamotus or the Tuamotu Archipelago are a chain of islands and atolls in French Polynesia. They form the largest chain of atolls in the world, spanning an area of the Pacific Ocean roughly the size of Western Europe...
, which are low-lying, were told to move to the highest points on the island.
American Samoa
The first wave was expected to reach American Samoa
American Samoa
American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa...
, which is still recovering from the 2009 Samoa earthquake and tsunami
2009 Samoa earthquake
The 2009 Samoa earthquake was an 8.1 Mw submarine earthquake that took place in the Samoan Islands region at 06:48:11 local time on September 29, 2009 . At a magnitude of 8.1, it was the largest earthquake of 2009....
, at 08:51 local time. Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa
The government of American Samoa consists of a locally elected governor, lieutenant governor and the American Samoa Fono, which consists of an 18-member Senate and a 21-member House of Representatives. The first popular election for Governor and Lieutenant Governor took place in 1977...
Ipulasi Aitofele Sunia
Ipulasi Aitofele Sunia
Ipulasi Aitofele Toese Fiti Sunia is an American Samoan lawyer and politician. Sunia has served as the Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa since April 11, 2003.-Early life :...
urged residents not to rush to A'oloau
A'oloau
A'oloau - also called A'oloaufou - is a village in the west of Tutuila Island, American Samoa. It is located inland, five miles southwest of Pago Pago....
, a high elevation area on Tutuila
Tutuila
Tutuila is the largest and the main island of American Samoa in the archipelago of Samoan Islands. It is the third largest island in the Samoan Islands chain of the Central Pacific located roughly northeast of Brisbane, Australia and over northeast of Fiji. It contains a large, natural harbor,...
, as it could cause traffic jams, putting safety at risk. Many coastal towns, including the main city of Pago Pago, had already been heavily damaged in the 2009 tsunami. The first wave arrived on Pago Plaza at 21:58 UTC.
Philippines
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology
Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology is a Philippine national institution dedicated to provide information on the activities of volcanoes, earthquakes and tsunamis, as well as other specialized information and services primarily for the protection of life and property and in...
(Phivolcs) issued an advisory that tsunami wave(s)
were expected to hit the eastern coast of the Philippines on Sunday between 05:00 and 06:30 UTC (13:00 and 14:30 local). Residents of 19 eastern provinces "are advised to prepare for possible evacuation." However, at 15:15 on February 28, 2010, all warnings have been cancelled.
Hawaii
United States Senators Daniel Inouye
Daniel Inouye
Daniel Ken "Dan" Inouye is the senior United States Senator from Hawaii, a member of the Democratic Party, and the President pro tempore of the United States Senate making him the highest-ranking Asian American politician in American history. Inouye is the chairman of the United States Senate...
and Daniel Akaka
Daniel Akaka
Daniel Kahikina Akaka is the junior U.S. Senator from Hawaii and a member of the Democratic Party. He is the first U.S. Senator of Native Hawaiian ancestry and is currently the only member of the Senate who has Chinese ancestry....
issued a joint press release announcing the first tsunami evacuation in Hawaii since 1994. Warning sirens were sounded throughout the state, as hotels in Waikiki
Waikiki
Waikiki is a neighborhood of Honolulu, in the City and County of Honolulu, on the south shore of the island of Oahu, in Hawaii. Waikiki Beach is the shoreline fronting Waikīkī....
evacuated tourists at 6 a.m. People in tall buildings were encouraged to move above the third floor. Waves measuring nine feet high were originally predicted to strike Hilo Bay
Hilo Bay
Hilo Bay is a large bay located on the eastern coast of the island of Hawaii.-Description:The modern town of Hilo, Hawaii overlooks Hilo Bay, located at ....
on the Big Island of Hawai'i at 11:05 local time (21:05 GMT), but by 11:18, major receding and waves had not been reported on the shoreline. By 11:40, several waves hit the islands amounting to raising and lowering of the sea near the coast, and a fourth wave hit around 13:12. The tsunami warning for Hawaii was canceled in the early afternoon on Saturday, February 27.
Gerard Fryer, a geophysicist for the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center was quoted as saying: “We expected the waves to be bigger in Hawaii, maybe about 50 percent bigger than they actually were." Early in the morning, the Center expected waves of 10 feet. In actuality, the highest tsunami waves ended up being about 5 to 6 feet peak to trough.
North America
British ColumbiaAt around 23:00 UTC (15:00 local), a tsunami warning was issued for coastal British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. Extra precautions were already in place due to the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
being held in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
at the time.
California
Small waves were expected in Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
, and receding was reported at Long Beach
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
. Minor damage was reported on some coastal areas. The tsunami damaged navigation buoys at Ventura
Ventura, California
Ventura is the county seat of Ventura County, California, United States, incorporated in 1866. The population was 106,433 at the 2010 census, up from 100,916 at the 2000 census. Ventura is accessible via U.S...
. Additionally, a boat was torn loose from its mooring and minor erosion occurred within Ventura Harbor. Damage to docks and pilings in the area was moderate.
Guerrero
In Guerrero
Guerrero
Guerrero officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Guerrero is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 81 municipalities and its capital city is Chilpancingo....
, surges of between 30 cm and 1 meter and receding of up to 10 m were reported, and three small vessels were sunk at Tecpán de Galeana
Tecpán de Galeana (municipality)
Tecpán de Galeana is one of the 81 municipalities of Guerrero, in south-western Mexico. The municipal seat lies at Tecpán de Galeana. The municipality covers an area of 2,537.8 km².As of 2005, the municipality had a total population of 52,848....
. The state tourism authorities announced they would be sending a letter to the CNN news network to protest the "alarming" way in which it had forecast a tsunami for the major tourist destination of Acapulco
Acapulco
Acapulco is a city, municipality and major sea port in the state of Guerrero on the Pacific coast of Mexico, southwest from Mexico City. Acapulco is located on a deep, semi-circular bay and has been a port since the early colonial period of Mexico’s history...
.
Tsunami-related aid given
ArgentinaArgentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
has sent construction teams to Chiloé Island
Chiloé Island
Chiloé Island , also known as Greater Island of Chiloé , is the largest island of the Chiloé Archipelago off the coast of Chile, in the Pacific Ocean...
to help reconstruct some of the washed away coastal buildings. In July 2010, the government of Argentina released a statement that they would lend $300 million to Chile for reconstruction efforts using Argentine goods.
Data
The following data, published by the Pacific Tsunami Warning CenterPacific Tsunami Warning Center
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center is one of two tsunami warning centers that are operated by NOAA in the United States. Headquartered in Ewa Beach, Hawaii, the PTWC is part of an international tsunami warning system program and serves as the operational center for TWS of the Pacific issuing...
and the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center
West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center
The West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center is one of two tsunami warning centers that are operated by NOAA in the United States. Headquartered in Palmer, Alaska, the WCATWC is part of an international tsunami warning system program and serves as the operational center for TWS of all coastal...
, lists measured and reported values of the tsunami when it arrived at specific places. Some data is taken from the Chilean Army.
| Station | Country or territory | Latitude | Longitude | Time (UTC) | Height (m) | Height (ft) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pichilemu Pichilemu Pichilemu , originally known as Pichilemo, is a beach resort city and commune in central Chile, and capital of Cardenal Caro Province. It is located southwest of Santiago, the capital of Chile, and comprises an urban center and twenty-three villages, such as Ciruelos, Cáhuil, and Espinillo... |
Chile |
34.23 S | 72.0 W | 06:48 | 3.02 | 10.0 |
| Talcahuano Talcahuano Talcahuano is a port city and commune in the Biobío Region of Chile. It is part of the Greater Concepción conurbation. Talcahuano is located in the south of the Central Zone of Chile.-Geography:... |
Chile |
36.9 S | 75.4 W | 06:53 | 2.34 | 7.7 |
| Valparaíso Valparaíso Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region... |
Chile |
33 S | 71.6 W | 07:08 | 1.29 | 4.2 |
| Corral | Chile |
39.9 S | 73.4 W | 07:39 | 0.90 | 2.9 |
| San Felix Desventuradas Islands thumb|Map of Desventuradas Islands The Desventuradas Islands, also known as Islas de los Desventurados, is a group of four small islands located off the coast of Chile, northwest of Santiago in the Pacific Ocean... |
Chile |
26.3 S | 80.1 W | 08:15 | 0.53 | 1.7 |
| Caldera Caldera A caldera is a cauldron-like volcanic feature usually formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption, such as the one at Yellowstone National Park in the US. They are sometimes confused with volcanic craters... |
Chile |
27.1 S | 70.8 W | 08:34 | 0.45 | 1.5 |
| Ancud Ancud Ancud is a city in southern Chile located in the northernmost part of the island and province of Chiloé, in Los Lagos Region .-Geography:... |
Chile |
41.9 S | 73.8 W | 08:38 | 0.62 | 2.0 |
| Coquimbo Coquimbo Coquimbo is a port city, commune and capital of the Elqui Province, located on the Pan-American Highway, in the Coquimbo Region of Chile. Coquimbo lies in a valley south of La Serena, with which it forms Greater La Serena with more than 400,000 inhabitants. The commune spans an area around the... |
Chile |
30 S | 71.3 W | 08:52 | 1.32 | 4.3 |
| Iquique Iquique Iquique is a port city and commune in northern Chile, capital of both the Iquique Province and Tarapacá Region. It lies on the Pacific coast, west of the Atacama Desert and the Pampa del Tamarugal. It had a population of 216,419 as of the 2002 census... |
Chile |
20.2 S | 70.1 W | 09:07 | 0.28 | 0.9 |
| DART Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis The Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis system is a component of an enhanced tsunami warning system.- Stations :... Lima Lima Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima... |
 Peru |
18 S | 86.4 W | 09:41 | 0.24 | 0.8 |
| Antofagasta Antofagasta Antofagasta is a port city in northern Chile, about north of Santiago. It is the capital of Antofagasta Province and Antofagasta Region. According to the 2002 census, the city has a population of 296,905... |
Chile |
23.2 S | 70.4 W | 09:41 | 0.49 | 1.6 |
| Arica Arica Arica is a city in northern Chile. "Arica" may also refer to:Places* Arica and Parinacota Region, Chile* Arica Airport , Chile* Arica, Amazonas, town in Colombia* Rio Aricá-açu, tributary of the Cuiabá River south of Cuiabá, BrazilOther... |
Chile |
18.5 S | 70.3 W | 10:08 | 0.94 | 3.1 |
| Callao Callao Callao is the largest and most important port in Peru. The city is coterminous with the Constitutional Province of Callao, the only province of the Callao Region. Callao is located west of Lima, the country's capital, and is part of the Lima Metropolitan Area, a large metropolis that holds almost... |
Peru |
12.1 S | 77.2 W | 10:29 | 0.36 | 1.2 |
| Easter Island Easter Island Easter Island is a Polynesian island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian triangle. A special territory of Chile that was annexed in 1888, Easter Island is famous for its 887 extant monumental statues, called moai, created by the early Rapanui people... |
Chile |
27.2 S | 109.5 W | 12:05 | 0.35 | 1.1 |
| Quepos Quepos Quepos is a city in Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica. It is served by the Quepos-La Managua airport. It is located at around . It is home to approximately 14,000 people.... |
 Costa Rica |
9.45 N | 84.15 W | 14:16 | 0.24 | 0.8 |
| Galapagos Islands Galápagos Islands The Galápagos Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands distributed around the equator in the Pacific Ocean, west of continental Ecuador, of which they are a part.The Galápagos Islands and its surrounding waters form an Ecuadorian province, a national park, and a... |
 Ecuador |
0.4 S | 90.3 W | 14:52 | 0.35 | 1.2 |
| DART Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis The Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis system is a component of an enhanced tsunami warning system.- Stations :... Marquesas Islands Marquesas Islands The Marquesas Islands enana and Te Fenua `Enata , both meaning "The Land of Men") are a group of volcanic islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in the southern Pacific Ocean. The Marquesas are located at 9° 00S, 139° 30W... |
 French Polynesia |
8.5 S | 125 W | 15:31 | 0.18 | 0.6 |
| Rikitea Rikitea Rikitea is a village located on Mangareva island. It is the chief town of the Gambier Islands, French Polynesia. It is served by the Totegegie Airport.... |
French Polynesia |
23.1 S | 134.9 W | 15:59 | 0.15 | 0.5 |
| DART Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis The Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis system is a component of an enhanced tsunami warning system.- Stations :... Manzanillo Manzanillo, Colima The name Manzanillo refers to the city as well as its surrounding municipality in the Mexican state of Colima. The city, located on the Pacific Ocean, contains Mexico's busiest port. Manzanillo was the third port created by the Spanish in the Pacific during the New Spain period... |
16.0 N | 107 W | 16:11 | 0.07 | 0.2 | |
| Manzanillo Manzanillo, Colima The name Manzanillo refers to the city as well as its surrounding municipality in the Mexican state of Colima. The city, located on the Pacific Ocean, contains Mexico's busiest port. Manzanillo was the third port created by the Spanish in the Pacific during the New Spain period... |
 Mexico |
19.1 N | 104.3 W | 17:05 | 0.32 | 1.0 |
| Hiva Oa Hiva Oa Hiva Oa is the second largest island in the Marquesas Islands, in French Polynesia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. It is the largest island of the Southern Marquesas group. According to local religion, the gods created the islands as their home. Therefore all islands have... |
French Polynesia |
9.8 S | 139.0 W | 17:41 | 1.79 | 5.9 |
| Nuku Hiva Nuku Hiva Nuku Hiva is the largest of the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. It was formerly also known as Île Marchand and Madison Island.... |
French Polynesia |
8.9 S | 140.1 W | 17:45 | 0.95 | 3.1 |
| Papeete Papeete -Sights:* Interactive Google map of Papeete, to discover the 30 major tourist attractions in Papeete downtown.*The waterfront esplanade*Bougainville Park -Sights:* Interactive Google map of Papeete, to discover the 30 major tourist attractions in Papeete downtown.*The waterfront... |
French Polynesia |
17.5 N | 149.6 W | 18:10 | 0.16 | 0.5 |
| Cabo San Lucas Cabo San Lucas Cabo San Lucas , commonly called Cabo, is a city at the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, in the municipality of Los Cabos in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. As of the 2010 census, the population was 68,463 people... |
Mexico |
22.9 N | 109.9 W | 18:33 | 0.36 | 1.2 |
| Rarotonga Rarotonga Rarotonga is the most populous island of the Cook Islands, with a population of 14,153 , out of the country's total population of 19,569.The Cook Islands' Parliament buildings and international airport are on Rarotonga... |
 Cook Islands |
21.2 S | 159.8 W | 19:07 | 0.15 | 0.5 |
| Acapulco Acapulco Acapulco is a city, municipality and major sea port in the state of Guerrero on the Pacific coast of Mexico, southwest from Mexico City. Acapulco is located on a deep, semi-circular bay and has been a port since the early colonial period of Mexico’s history... |
Mexico |
16.8 N | 99.9 W | 19:31 | 0.62 | 2.0 |
| DART Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis The Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis system is a component of an enhanced tsunami warning system.- Stations :... San Diego San Diego, California San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round... |
32.2 N | 120.7 W | 19:31 | 0.06 | 0.2 | |
| Lottin Point |  New Zealand |
37.6 S | 178.2 E | 19:34 | 0.15 | 0.5 |
| DART Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis The Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis system is a component of an enhanced tsunami warning system.- Stations :... Tonga Tonga Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific... |
23 S | 168.1 W | 20:03 | 0.04 | 0.1 | |
| Apia |  Samoa |
13.8 S | 171.8 W | 20:18 | 0.13 | 0.4 |
| Nukualofa |  Tonga |
21.1 S | 175.2 W | 20:24 | 0.1 | 0.3 |
| Pago Pago |  American Samoa |
14.3 S | 170.7 W | 20:27 | 0.22 | 0.7 |
| Monterey, California Monterey, California The City of Monterey in Monterey County is located on Monterey Bay along the Pacific coast in Central California. Monterey lies at an elevation of 26 feet above sea level. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 27,810. Monterey is of historical importance because it was the capital of... |
 United States |
36.6 N | 121.9 W | 20:31 | 0.28 | 1.1 |
| San Diego, California San Diego, California San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round... |
United States |
32.7 N | 117.2 W | 20:36 | 0.13 | 0.4 |
| San Francisco, California San Francisco, California San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland... |
United States |
37.8 N | 122.5 W | 21:20 | 0.26 | 0.8 |
| Hilo, Hawaii | United States |
19.7 N | 154.9 W | 21:20 | 0.86 | 2.8 |
| Kuamalapau, Hawaii | United States |
20.8 N | 156.9 W | 21:36 | 0.18 | 0.6 |
| Kahului, Hawaii | United States |
20.9 N | 156.5 W | 21:47 | 0.98 | 3.2 |
| Santa Barbara, California Santa Barbara, California Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean... |
United States |
34.4 N | 119.7 W | 21:50 | 0.53 | 1.7 |
| Barber's Point, Hawaii Kalaeloa Airport Kalaeloa Airport , also called John Rodgers Field and formerly Naval Air Station Barbers Point, is a joint civil-military regional airport of the State of Hawaii established on July 1, 1999 to replace the Ford Island NALF facilities which closed on June 30 of the same year... |
United States |
21.3 N | 158.1 W | 21:57 | 0.12 | 0.4 |
| Honolulu, Hawaii Honolulu, Hawaii Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and... |
United States |
21.3 N | 150.4 W | 22:00 | 0.25 | 0.8 |
| Kawaihae, Hawaii | United States |
20 N | 155.5 W | 22:11 | 0.52 | 1.7 |
| Crescent City, California Crescent City, California Crescent City is the county seat and only incorporated city in Del Norte County, California. Named for the crescent-shaped stretch of sandy beach south of the city, Crescent City had a total population of 7,643 in the 2010 census, up from 4,006 in the 2000 census... |
United States |
41.7 N | 124.2 W | 22:13 | 0.37 | 1.2 |
| Vanuatu Vanuatu Vanuatu , officially the Republic of Vanuatu , is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is some east of northern Australia, northeast of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands, near New Guinea.Vanuatu was... |
 Vanuatu |
17.8 S | 168.3 E | 22:46 | 0.15 | 0.5 |
| Johnston Atoll Johnston Atoll Johnston Atoll is a atoll in the North Pacific Ocean about west of Hawaii. There are four islands located on the coral reef platform, two natural islands, Johnston Island and Sand Island, which have been expanded by coral dredging, as well as North Island and East Island , an additional two... |
United States |
16.7 N | 169.5 W | 22:48 | 0.22 | 0.7 |
| Nawiliwili, Hawaii | United States |
22 N | 159.4 W | 23:23 | 0.37 | 1.2 |
| Sitka, Alaska | United States |
57.1 N | 135.3 W | 00:11 28 Feb | 0.08 | 0.3 |
| Guam Guam Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United... |
 GuamGuam Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United... |
13.4 N | 144.7 E | 03:07 | 0.16 | 0.5 |
| Minamitorishima |  Japan |
24.1N | 153.5E | 03:43 | 0.1 | 0.3 |
| DART Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis The Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis system is a component of an enhanced tsunami warning system.- Stations :... Saipan Saipan Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392... |
19.1 N | 155.8 E | 03:55 | 0.08 | 0.3 | |
| Otsuchi, Iwate Otsuchi, Iwate is a town located in Kamihei District, Iwate, Japan.As of 2003, the town had an estimated population of 16,727 and a density of 83.39 persons per km². The total area is 200.58 km².... |
Japan |
39.21 N | 141.54 E | 06:43 | 1.45 | 4.35 |
| Yamada, Iwate Yamada, Iwate is a town located in Shimohei District, Iwate, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 20,413 and a population density of 77.49 persons per km². The total area is 263.44 km².... |
Japan |
39.47 N | 141.95 E | 08:14 | 1.61 | 4.85 |
| Hachinohe, Aomori Hachinohe, Aomori - Neighbouring municipalities :Aomori Prefecture*Sannohe District**Hashikami**Gonohe**Nanbu*Kamikita District**OiraseIwate Prefecture*Karumai-History:... |
Japan |
40.30 N | 141.29 E | 08:44 | 0.9 | 2.7 |
| Nemuro, Hokkaido Nemuro, Hokkaido -Transportation:Nearby Nakashibetsu Airport serves Nemuro.-Railways:*Hokkaido Railway Company – Nemuro Main Line**Stations in the city: Nemuro, Higashi-Nemuro, Hanasaki, Nishi-Wada, Kombumori, Ochiishi, Bettoga, Hattaushi, Attoko-Sightseeing:*Cape Nosappu... |
Japan |
43.20 N | 145.35 E | 09:23 | 1.0 | 3.0 |
| Kuji, Iwate Kuji, Iwate is a city located in Iwate, Japan.-History:The city was founded on November 3, 1954. In 2003, the city had an estimated population of 36,596 and the population density of 111.70 persons per km²... |
Japan |
40.11 N | 141.46 E | 10:01 | 1.2 | 3.6 |
| Susaki, Kochi Susaki, Kochi is a city located in Kōchi, Japan.As of 2003, the city had an estimated population of 26,960 and the density of . The total area is .The city was founded on October 1, 1954.-External links:* *... |
Japan |
33.24 N | 133.17 E | 10:42 | 1.2 | 3.6 |
| Shibushi, Kagoshima Shibushi, Kagoshima is a city located in Kagoshima, Japan.The city was founded on January 1, 2006 from the merger of the former town of Shibushi with the towns of Ariake and Matsuyama, all from Soo District.... |
Japan |
31.30 N | 131.03 E | 10:56 | 1.0 | 3.0 |
See also
- 2010 Pichilemu earthquake2010 Pichilemu earthquakeThe 2010 Pichilemu earthquake , also known as the Libertador O'Higgins earthquake, was a 6.9 MW earthquake that struck Chile's O'Higgins Region on 11 March 2010 at 11:39 local time...
- 2010 Haiti earthquake2010 Haiti earthquakeThe 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake, with an epicentre near the town of Léogâne, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks...
- 03:34: Earthquake in Chile03:34: Earthquake in Chile03:34: Earthquake in Chile is a Chilean film directed by Juan Pablo Ternicier, and written by Mateo Iribarren, which will narrate three different stories, based on the 8.8 Richter magnitude earthquake, and subsequent tsunami that hit Chile in 2010....
- March 2010 Chile blackoutMarch 2010 Chile blackoutThe March 2010 Chile blackout was an electric power outage that affected most of Chile on March 14, 2010. It began at 8:44 pm on Sunday and continued into the next day...
- List of earthquakes in Chile
- Seismicity of the Chilean coastSeismicity of the Chilean coastSeismicity of the Chilean coast identifies and describes the seismic activity of an area of Chile. Seismicity refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time. The Chilean coast is on the southern part of South America, which is near a Pacific Ocean subduction...
- 2011 Puyehue eruption
- List of 21st century earthquakes
- List of largest earthquakes by magnitude
External links
- Informe de la comisión especial (de la cámara de diputados de Chile) sobre el estado de la institucionalidad en relación a su capacidad de respuesta frente a desastres naturales. (Report of a commission to the Chamber of Deputies of ChileChamber of Deputies of ChileThe Chamber of Deputies of the Republic of Chile is the lower house of Chile's bicameral Congress. Its organisation and its powers and duties are defined in articles 42 to 59 of Chile's current constitution....
about the institutional earthquake response, in Spanish language. The majority of the Chamber refused to aprobe the report.) - Chile Earthquake coverage on ReliefWeb
- Aftershock survey
- Maps of the Chile Earthquake from NYT
- International Seismological Centre, Scientific compilation of data.
- Tsunami Event page for Feb 27, 2010 Chile tsunami - Maximum wave amplitude plot, Propagation animation, Model-data comparison plots. From the NOAA Center for Tsunami Research.
- Open Directory - Earthquakes: Past Earthquakes: Chile 2010 at Open Directory ProjectOpen Directory ProjectThe Open Directory Project , also known as Dmoz , is a multilingual open content directory of World Wide Web links. It is owned by Netscape but it is constructed and maintained by a community of volunteer editors.ODP uses a hierarchical ontology scheme for organizing site listings...
- Chile Earthquake and Tsunami - February 27, 2010 in the Yahoo! Directory at Yahoo! DirectoryYahoo! DirectoryThe Yahoo! Directory is a web directory that rivals the Open Directory Project in size. The directory was Yahoo!'s first offering. When Yahoo! changed to crawler-based listings for its main results in October 2002, the human-edited directory's significance dropped, but it was still being updated in...
- Chilean Earthquake Toll Passes 800; Aid Yet to Reach Many Devastated Areas - video report by Democracy Now!Democracy Now!Democracy Now! and its staff have received several journalism awards, including the Gracie Award from American Women in Radio & Television; the George Polk Award for its 1998 radio documentary Drilling and Killing: Chevron and Nigeria's Oil Dictatorship, on the Chevron Corporation and the deaths of...
- Harvard Center for Geographic Analysis GIS datasets
- 1960 Chile tsunami (earthquake magnitude Mw 9.5) Maximum amplitude plot - for comparison with Feb 27, 2010 Chile tsunami event. From the NOAA Center for Tsunami Research.
