BREAKING NEWS: Earthquake off Chile coast

Now upgraded to an 8.2
Tsunami warning after 8.0 earthquake hits off Chile coast

A massive earthquake has struck off the coast of Chile measuring at a magnitude of 8.0, according to the US Geological Survey.

RT,

2 April, 2014

All of the Latin American Pacific coast is under threat for tsunami activity, according to the USGS. A tsunami warning has been issued for Chile, Peru, and Ecaudor, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said. Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua are under tsunami watch.

“Sea level readings indicate a tsunami was generated," the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said in a bulletin. "It may have been destructive along coasts near the earthquake epicenter and could also be a threat to more distant coasts.”

The quake occurred Tuesday 86 km northwest mining area of Iquique. The epicenter was located at a shallow depth of about 10km below the seabed.

The Chile National Office of Emergency of the Interior Ministry has ordered a preventative evacuation for the coastal areas of Arica, Parinacota, and Tarapacá, La Tercera reported.

"An earthquake of this size has the potential to generate a destructive tsunami that can strike coastlines near the epicenter within minutes and more distant coastlines within hours," the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.

Update:

CHILE'S NAVY SAYS FIRST TSUNAMI WAVE HAS ALREADY HIT PARTS OF NORTHEN CHILE

From Dutchsinse

ALERT! Tsunami could impact West Coast of the US ....

ALASKA/ BRITISH COLUMBIA/ WASHINGTON/ OREGON AND CALIFORNIA...

read here:

http://www.tsunami.gov/product.php?id=TIBAK1.20140402.0038.002

000
WEAK53 PAAQ 020038
TIBAK1

PUBLIC TSUNAMI INFORMATION STATEMENT NUMBER 2
NWS NATIONAL TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER PALMER AK
538 PM PDT TUE APR 1 2014

UPDATES IN THIS MESSAGE INCLUDE A REVISED MAGNITUDE.
UPDATES IN THIS MESSAGE INCLUDE NEW OBSERVATIONS.

...THIS IS A TSUNAMI INFORMATION STATEMENT FOR ALASKA/ BRITISH
COLUMBIA/ WASHINGTON/ OREGON AND CALIFORNIA...

EVALUATION
----------
* A TSUNAMI HAS BEEN GENERATED THAT COULD POTENTIALLY IMPACT
THE AREAS LISTED ABOVE.

* THE U.S. NATIONAL TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER IS ANALYZING
THE EVENT TO DETERMINE THE LEVEL OF DANGER.

* MORE INFORMATION WILL BE ISSUED AS IT BECOMES AVAILABLE.

* THIS EARTHQUAKE HAS GENERATED A LARGE
TSUNAMI IN THE SOURCE REGION.

PRELIMINARY EARTHQUAKE PARAMETERS - UPDATED
-------------------------------------------
* MAGNITUDE 8.2
* ORIGIN TIME 1547 AKDT APR 01 2014
1647 PDT APR 01 2014
2347 UTC APR 01 2014
* COORDINATES 19.8 SOUTH 70.8 WEST
* DEPTH 6 MILES
* LOCATION NEAR COAST OF NORTHERN CHILE

OBSERVATIONS OF TSUNAMI ACTIVITY - UPDATED
------------------------------------------
TIME OBSERVED MAX
SITE OF MEASUREMENT TSUNAMI HEIGHT
---------------------------- --------------- --------------
PISAGUA CHILE 2352 UTC 04-01 06.5FT
IQUIQUE CHILE 2357 UTC 04-01 05.8FT
DART32401ST CHILE 0011 UTC 04-02 00.8FT
PATACHE CHILE 0006 UTC 04-02 05.6FT
ARICA CHILE 0014 UTC 04-02 02.8FT
MATARANI PERU 0020 UTC 04-02 01.8FT

HEIGHT - OBSERVED MAX TSUNAMI HEIGHT IS THE WATER LEVEL ABOVE THE
TIDE LEVEL AT THE TIME OF MEASUREMENT.

NEXT UPDATE AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
--------------------------------------
* MESSAGES WILL BE ISSUED HOURLY TO KEEP YOU INFORMED OF THE
PROGRESS OF THIS EVENT.

* REFER TO THE INTERNET SITE NTWC.ARH.NOAA.GOV FOR
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

* PACIFIC COASTAL REGIONS OUTSIDE CALIFORNIA... OREGON...
WASHINGTON... BRITISH COLUMBIA AND ALASKA SHOULD REFER TO THE
PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER MESSAGES AT PTWC.WEATHER.GOV.

Hawaii could be elevated to tsumami watch status

Message to Hawaii civil defense...

http://www.tsunami.gov/product.php...

000
WEHW42 PHEB 020035
TIBHWX
HIZ001>003-005>009-012>014-016>021-023>026-020235-

TSUNAMI INFORMATION STATEMENT NUMBER 3
NWS PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER EWA BEACH HI
235 PM HST TUE APR 01 2014

TO - CIVIL DEFENSE IN THE STATE OF HAWAII

SUBJECT - TSUNAMI INFORMATION STATEMENT

THIS STATEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY. NO ACTION IS REQUIRED AT
THIS TIME. HOWEVER... THE TSUNAMI THREAT TO HAWAII IS STILL
BEING EVALUATED.

AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED WITH THESE PRELIMINARY PARAMETERS

ORIGIN TIME - 0147 PM HST 01 APR 2014
COORDINATES - 19.8 SOUTH 70.8 WEST
LOCATION - OFF THE COAST OF NORTHERN CHILE
MAGNITUDE - 8.2 MOMENT

UPDATE:

JUST IN: A 6.2 aftershock has hit 54 miles north of Iquique, Chile.

TSUNAMI EN ANTOFAGASTA!!!

SOLAMENTE SONO LA ALAMRMA POR UN TERREMOTO 8,3 EN EL NORTE DE CHILE PERO PODRIA PASAR ALGO MAS DESASTROZO

The Sydney Morning Herald are doing live updates HERE