Asia-Pacific

Huge 8.8-magnitude quake hits Chile

(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-02-27 15:14

Cars are pinned under a collapsed building after a major earthquake struck in Santiago in this February 27, 2010 video grab. A massive magnitude-8.8 earthquake struck south-central Chile early on Saturday, triggering a tsunami and rattling buildings in the capital Santiago. [Agencies]

She said Chile has not asked for assistance from other countries.

Several hospitals have been evacuated due to earthquake damage, she said, and communications with the city of Concepcion remained down. She planned to tour the affected region as quickly as possible to get a better idea of the damage.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center called for "urgent action to protect lives and property" in Hawaii, which is among 53 nations and territories subject to tsunami warnings.

"Sea level readings indicate a tsunami was generated. It may have been destructive along coasts near the earthquake epicenter and could also be a threat to more distant coasts," the warning center said. It did not expect a tsunami along the west of the US or Canada but was continuing to monitor the situation.

The largest earthquake ever recorded struck the same area of Chile on May 22, 1960. The magnitude-9.5 quake killed 1,655 people and left 2 million homeless. The tsunami that it caused killed people in Hawaii, Japan and the Philippines and caused damage to the west coast of the United States.