Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Experts on Chilean earthquake
Experts on Chilean earthquake
An official tsunami warning is in place for all of coastal New Zealand as waves triggered by an 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Chile cross the Pacific and reach our shores.
Civil Defence is issuing regular updates on the tsunami warnings here.
GNS Science is also issuing updates through Geonet and has a useful backgrounder on tsunamis here.
The comments below were gathered from scientists in Britain by our colelagues at the Science Media Centre in London. We will issue updates from New Zealand experts as soon as possible.
Dr Brian Baptie, British Geological Survey's Head of Seismology said:
"This is thelargest earthquake to strike central Chile since a magnitude 6.7 earthquake in 2001. The epicenter lies around 200 km northeast of the magnitude 9.5 earthquake that struck Chile in 1960. This was the largest earthquake ever recorded and resulted in a destructive tsunami that killed many thousands of people around the Pacific.
"A 1.3m tsunami wave was observed at Valparaiso, 200km north of the epicentre about 20 minutes after the earthquake. Tsunami waves in the deep ocean travel about the same speed as a jet plane and would take about 15 hours to reach Hawaii and about 20 hours to reach the other side of the Pacific."
Dr David Rothery, Dept of Earth &
Environmental Sciences at the Open University,
said:
"This morning's (06:34 [UK time]) magnitude 8.8 earthquake close to the Chilean coast has caused a tsunami that is now radiating away from the epicentre and travelling at several hundred km per hour across the Pacific ocean. The first waves are expected ot Hawaii at 11:19 Hawaii Standard Time but are also travelling along the S America coast and will reach Colombia and Costa Rica after 1300 GMT (see http://www.prh.noaa.gov/ptwc/ ) Some earthquake damage is to be expected ashore in Chile near the town of Concepcion.
"A magnitude 8 quake is a rare event. On average there is only about one of these per year, globally. This one was caised by the floor of the Pacific ocean being pushed below South America. Because the epicentre was under the sea, the sudden jerking of the sea-floor displaced water and triggered a tsumani. The focus of this quake was at a depth of about 34 km - which is relatively shallow (and hence damaging) though not quite so shallow as the magnitude 9.1 quake in the Sunda Trench that caused the 26 Dec 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami."
Dr Roger Musson, British Geological Survey's Head of Seismic Hazard said:
"This earthquake fills in an identified seismic gap - no previous large earthquake had occurred in this area since 1835, when a large earthquake was observed by Charles Darwin. Since then, an estimated 10m of potential displacement has accumulated."
ENDS
Science Media Centre NZ
Our aim is to promote accurate, evidence-based reporting on science and technology by helping the media work more closely with the scientific community.
The Science Media Centre is New Zealand's only trusted, independent source of information for the media on all issues related to science. Thousands of news stories providing context from and quoting New Zealand researchers have been published as a direct result of our work.
Gordon Campbell: On The Royal Commission’s Fine-tuning Of Vaccine Mandates And Lockdowns
NZCTU: Luxon Surrenders Worker Protections To ACT Party
Alcohol Healthwatch: Booze Delivered Quickly With Few Checks In Auckland
NZDF: Details From Interim Court Of Inquiry Report Into HMNZS Manawanui Incident Released
Land Air Water Aotearoa: Ambitious Nationwide Initiative To Track And Share Actions To Improve Freshwater
NZ Government: Chemical Weapons And Iranian Missiles Targeted In New Russia Sanctions
Ministry For Culture And Heritage: Reverberations Of Erebus Disaster Still Felt 45 Years Later
