8.8 Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Up Chile, Prompts Tsunami Warning

A powerful 8.8 magnitude earthquake rocked the South American nation of Chile early this morning at around 3am local time for about one-and-a-half minutes. At least 78 fatalities have been reported thus far, and tsunami warnings have been issued for the entire Pacific region, including areas as far away as the western U.S. coast.

The earthquake that hit Chile was 64 times stronger than the one that rocked Haiti in January. However, it was a lot deeper, making it more likely that the number of causalities will be fewer than in Haiti.

The quake was less than 100 miles north from the southwest coastal city of Conception, but damage was reported as far as away as Santiago nearly 200 miles away.

The airport in Santiago was shut down, and hospitals in the area have been evacuated. Phone lines and power are out of service, while the country tries to cope with at least 13 aftershocks already that have measured 5.0 magnitude or stronger.

Unlike Haiti, Chile is more prepared to deal with a massive earthquake. Buildings in Chile are constructed to earthquake standards and can sustain more of a jolt.