The natural disaster that spurred the warning struck off the coast of central Chile at 3:55 p.m. and had a preliminary magnitude of 8.3.
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A tremor struck Chile’s capital city Santiago on Monday, shaking buildings, according to Reuters witnesses.
Toro emphasized the speed with which the navys Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service and the National Seismological Center issued the tsunami alert, a move that allowed the rapid evacuation of communities along more than 4,000 km (2,500 Michigan .) of the countrys Pacific coast.
Jess Miller, global risk analyst for the worldwide Office, said the university contacted all students studying overseas in Chile, Argentina and Peru after the quake . Many aftershocks occurred following the quake as well. In Hawaii, however, the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation kept some popular beaches closed Friday due to the possibility of hazardous currents following the 8.3 magnitude quake off the Chilean coast.
But wise investments in emergency preparedness saved lives and property, officials said.
The tsunami waves toppled street signs, washed away vehicles, and left most areas in rubble. The coastal Chilean town of Coquimbo, which has been placed under a state of emergency, was hit by tsunami waves nearly five metres in height.
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People trying to clean up the damage from the quake and subsequent tsunami in the port of Coquimbo briefly feared the worst, but there were no casualties and no damage. She urged the people, including those who have been evacuated from coastal areas to remain on high grounds until further instructions from authorities.
