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Saturday, February 27, 2010
- 27 February 2010: Chile’s President-elect’s battle with delinquency becomes personal
- 27 February 2010: 8.8 magnitude earthquake hits Chile
- 3 February 2010: Chilean President visits Pichilemu to inaugurate Agustín Ross Cultural Centre
- 19 January 2010: Conservative Pinera wins Chile polls, opponent Frei concedes defeat
- 19 November 2009: Uruguay qualify to take last spot in 2010 FIFA World Cup

An 8.8 magnitude earthquake was recorded in Chile on Saturday, killing at least 147 people and causing significant structural damage. Sea level recording triggered a tsunami warning for Chile, Peru, and Ecuador. This was later extended to Colombia, Antarctica, and Central America. The earthquake was felt in Chillan, Talca, Concepcion, and the capital Santiago.
The earthquake, which started at 06.34.14 UTC, was felt as far as Argentina. The Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Center has issued a tsunami warning for Australia in the wake of the quake.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has announced that a tsunami warning is in effect, and that the wave will be arriving at Panama, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica a few minutes after 13.00 UTC. It has also issued a warning for Hawaii, where the tsunami, estimated to be sixteen feet high, will hit at approximately 11:05 A.M. local time (09.00 UTC).
This earthquake occurred at the boundary between the Nazca and South American tectonic plates. The two plates are converging at a rate of 80 mm per year. The earthquake occurred as the Nazca plate moved down and below the South American plate.

Map of earthquake with star locating epicenter.
Image: USGS.

The plates involved are the Nazca and South American plates
Image: USGS.

Map of Chile from CIA World Factbook with the epicenter of 2010 Chile earthquake marked.
Image: CIA World Factbook.

Preliminary forecast model energy map of the 2010 Chile earthquake tsunami.
Image: NOAA.

Map of Chile with the epicentrer location of the earthquake
Image: USGS.

Travel time projection of the 2010 Chile earthquake tsunami.
Image: NOAA.
Sources
- “Magnitude 8.8 – OFFSHORE MAULE, CHILE” – USCS, February 27, 2010
- “Huge earthquake hits Chile, 17 reported dead” – Reuters, February 27, 2010
- Colin Freeman “Massive earthquake hits Chile” – Telegraph, February 27, 2010
- “Australia on tsunami watch following Chile quake” – The Washington Post, February 27, 2010
- “Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issues Tsunami warning” – Press Release, February 27, 2010
- Doina Chiacu “Tsunami threatens Hawaiian islands: U.S. agency” – Reuters, February 27, 2010
- “Death toll in Chile earthquake rises to 122” – RTÉ News, February 27, 2010
- Alison Chung “Tsunami Warnings After Deadly Chile Quake” – Sky News, February 27, 2010
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