Thread: California tsunami advisory

M8.3 earthquake strikes off Chile; tsunami advisory issued for California, Hawaii

POSTED 4:14 PM, SEPTEMBER 16, 2015, BY Q13 FOX NEWS STAFF AND CNN WIRE, UPDATED AT 07:02PM, SEPTEMBER 16, 2015

SANTIAGO, Chile -- A powerful 8.3-magnitude earthquake struck off Chile's coast on Wednesday, triggering a tsunami alert and coastal evacuations.

A woman was killed in the city of Illapel, Chilean National Police spokesman Oscar Llanten told CNN sister network CNN Chile. At least seven people were injured in the quake, he said, three of whom are in serious condition.

There were also reports of damages to homes in Illapel, Interior Minister Jorge Burgos told reporters.

According to a preliminary assessment from the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake's epicenter was about 54 kilometers (34 miles) west of Illapel. It occurred around 7:54 p.m. (6:54 p.m. ET) and had a depth of 33 kilometers (20.5 miles), USGS said.

Chile's national emergency agency issued a tsunami alert, ordering evacuations in coastal areas from Arica to Puerto Aysen.
From USGS

Flooding, power loss
Large tsunami waves have been observed along the Chilean coast, near the quake's epicenter. Near Coquimbo, Chile, waves were measured at 3.11 meters (10.2 feet), according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.

Pictures taken inside a shopping mall in La Serena, in the coastal city just north of Coquimbo, showed walls and signs toppled to the floor, ceiling tiles caved in as well as chairs, benches and tables covered in rubble.

Coquimbo Mayor Cristian Galleguillos told CNN Chile the city was starting to see flooding and 95% of the city had lost electrical power.

Residents had evacuated before waves started hitting the coastline, he said.

A series of aftershocks could be felt in the country's capital, about 230 kilometers (145 miles) away from the quake's epicenter, CNN Chile reported.

"Everybody ran outside. The windows rattled. Things fell. ... The impact was strong," said Emily Hersh, who lives in Santiago. "Even after I stepped outside, I felt the ground moving."

Fabrizio Guzman, emergency communications manager in Chile for World Vision, said the the earthquake hit during rush hour, causing traffic snarls that left many people stuck in the streets as they tried to get home.

"There were many people afraid, running in the streets, when the shaking started," he said in a written statement. "The earthquake felt really intense and seemed to last for several minutes."

Tsunami advisory
"Widespread hazardous tsunami waves are possible" along the coast of Chile and Peru, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said, and a tsunami advisory is in effect for California and Hawaii.

http://q13fox.com/2015/09/16/m7-9-ea...-s-west-coast/

Advisory Event Details Location: off the coast of central Chile Magnitude: 8.3, Depth: 6.2 (Mi.) Lat: 31.5 ° S Lon: 72 ° W Origin Time: 9/16/2015, 3:54:31 PM - Advisory Ragged Point, California (50 miles NW of San Luis Obispo) - San Onofre State Beach, California (45 miles SE of L.A.) Issued at: 9/16/2015, 6:43:43 PM ​

Alert Layer Latest Event Previous 20 Observations Forecasts Tide Gauges Dart Buoy NTWC Break Points Layer

For further information on earthquakes, please click here to visit the USGS web site Note: Times are local to your browser, unless otherwise indicated. http://ntwc.arh.noaa.gov/

9/16/15

http://www.alipac.us/f19/breaking-ma...hawaii-323385/

Tsunami advisories for Hawaii, California canceled after Chile quake

Published September 17, 2015 FoxNews.com




Tsunami advisories for Hawaii and coastal California were dropped Thursday following a deadly 8.3-magnitude earthquake off Chile.

Officials from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center originally issued a more serious watch for Hawaii after Wednesday night’s quake, but later downgraded it to an advisory.

The National Weather Service said a 3-foot-wave was recorded at Hilo Harbor on Hawaii’s Big Island around 4 a.m. local time on Thursday, but there were no reports of significant damage.

The advisory was kept in place longer for the Southern California coast, as officials warned that sea-level changes and dangerous currents could pose a threat to those in or near the water.

The Los Angeles Times pointed out that in 2010, a magnitude 8.8 earthquake hit Chile that sent waves as high as three feet to Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara.

A slight surge and powerful currents were reported at points along the entire coast, officials said.

Ventura Harbor in Southern California experienced a 1.1-foot tsunami, while 0.4 foot heights were reported in San Diego to the south, and 0.8 foot heights were seen at Crescent City near the Oregon border, according to the National Tsunami Warning Center.

Harbormaster John Higgins told the Associated Press the activity was "completely management" in Ventura Harbor, and no damaging effects were expected.

"You'll see slow-moving streams coming in and going out, and at times the two converge upon each other and it creates turbulent water movement," he told the AP.

A tsunami warning was last issued for Hawaii in 2012, after a powerful earthquake off the coast of Canada. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center lifted its tsunami advisory three hours after downgrading from a warning and less than six hours after the waves first hit the islands. The state was spared from severe surges.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/09/17...e-chile-quake/