Video: People run for their lives as earthquake strikes Chile

Santiago, April 2: A massive earthquake measuring 8.2 on Richter Scale rocked Chile on Wednesday. Tsunami warning was issued soon after the quake rocked coastal areas of the South American nation. The authorities evacuated the coastal areas and said there were no reports of deaths.

According to the USGS, the quake, centred 86km (56 miles) north-west of the mining area of Iquique, is very shallow, only 10km below the seabed, which would have made it feel stronger, BBC reported citing the USGS.

Here is a video which shows how people desperately hold on to the furniture inside a restaurant as the earthquake strikes.

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The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said the coasts of Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica and Nicaragua were all at risk of a tsunami and warned of waves of up to 1.92m (6.3 feet) to have struck near the town of Pisagua, Chile, within 44 minutes of the quake.

A quake measuring 8.8 had devastated several towns in Chile in 2010

The USGS said a quake of this force had the power to generate a destructive tsunami for the coastlines. Chilean authorities, however, said that the quake was of 7.9 magnitude.

In 2010, central and southern areas of Chile had been hit by a powerful earthquake of 8.8 magnitude, followed by a tsunami that devastated several towns.

OneIndia News

(With IANS inputs)