M8.3 quake rattles north Chile; 5 killed

SANTIAGO, Chile—A major earthquake just offshore rattled Chileans, killing five people and shaking the Earth so strongly the tremor was felt in places across South America.

Authorities worked into the early hours yesterday assessing damage in several coastal towns that saw flooding from small tsunami waves set off by the quake.

The magnitude-8.3 quake hit off northern Chile on Wednesday night, causing buildings to sway in the capital of Santiago and prompting authorities to issue a tsunami warning for the Andean nation’s entire Pacific coast.

People sought safety in the streets of inland cities, while others along the shore took to their cars to get to higher ground.

“Once again we must confront a powerful blow from nature,” President Michelle Bachelet said in an address to the nation late Wednesday.

Authorities said early yesterday that five people had been killed and one person was listed as missing.

Bachelet urged people who evacuated from coastal areas to stay on high ground until authorities could fully evaluate the situation during the night. Officials said schools would be kept closed in most of the coun- try yesterday.

Numerous aftershocks, including one at magnitude-7 and four above six, shook the region after the initial earthquake — the strongest tremor since a powerful quake and tsunami killed hundreds in 2010 and leveled part of the city of Concepcion in south-central Chile.

Although officials cautioned it was too early to know for sure, it appeared Wednesday’s quake had a much smaller impact than the 2010 tremor.

If that turns out to be the case, it will be a sign that Chile’s traditionally strong risk reduction measures and emergency planning had gotten better in the last five years.

“Earthquake impact is a little like real estate: what matters is location, location, location,” said Susan Hough, a geophysicist with the US Geological Survey. (AP)