By: EFE
SANTIAGO DE CHILE – The Chilean coast was hit this Saturday afternoon by a tsunami with waves of almost six feet (two meters) in the north, after the eruption of an underwater volcano near the island of Tonga in the Pacific, which kept the Latin American country on alert throughout the day.
The largest waves were felt in some cities in the north of the country such as Iquique and Atacama, where there were slight floods, as confirmed by the Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service of the Navy of Chile (SHOA).
“These events are anomalies that do not respond to a known pattern. Until now, little has happened, but we are alert”, affirmed SHOA Admiral Leonardo Chávez .
Images spread through social networks show the arrival of strong waves at some beaches and the destruction of an artisan pier in the region Los Ríos, to the south, where the tsunami was also felt.
During the day the evacuation was ordered from the coasts in 14 of the 16 regions of Chile, which has more than 6 ,400 kilometers of coastline, and a “red alert” was decreed in six specific areas, in which a security level of 20 meters above sea level.
From the SHOA they added that the time of arrival of the current to other regions will depend on the “height of the tide, which varies depending on the area”.
“This is can lengthen overnight. People have to take out their emergency backpacks to be able to count on support supplies”, warned the deputy director of operations of the National Office of Emergencies of Chile (Onemi), Claudio Aldea.
In some coastal areas, crowds formed during the afternoon and congestion of vehicles of people trying to return to the cities from the beaches.
Initially, the Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service of the Chilean Navy (SHOA) declared a “State of Precaution” due to the risk of “minor tsunami” in some regions, but with As the hours went by, the level of alarm escalated.
The region of Arica and Parinocata, Tarapacá and Atacama (north), Coquimbo (center-north) became “Red Alert” and Los Ríos and Los Lagos (south), where strong collections of water were recorded.
Six other regions were also evacuated: Easter Island, located 3,800 kilometers into the Pacific, and the Juan Fernández archipelago and San Félix Island, both 600 kilometers from the continental edge of Chile, approximately.
On the island of Tonga, in the South Pacific, the eruption of the volcano caused a fierce tsunami with waves of water that hit the coasts hard and hit the houses and buildings located on the beachfront in northern Tongatapu for a few minutes.
The phenomenon was also noticed in Japan, with waves that exceeded the meter of height, and in other countries like the United States and Canada, with strong waves and slight floods.
It may interest you:
– Tsunami in Tonga: gigantic volcanic eruption in the Pacific puts on alert to Chile, Japan and the United States
– VIDEO: Moment when the volcano in Tonga erupts seen from space, along with the resulting tsunami
– Photos and videos from California show the effects of the tsunami after the eruption of an underwater volcano in Tonga