Chile earthquake kills 120, triggers tsunami

Image: People gather on a Santiago street after the quake ravaged the city.
Photographs: Reuters

A massive earthquake rattled Chile early Saturday, killing 120 people, producing powerful aftershocks and triggering a tsunami, emerging reports indicate. The death toll is expected to go high.

Alert on US West Coast

Image: A municipal worker clears rubble from a street in Santiago after the quake.
Photographs: Reuters

Dreaded tsunami waves, television and agency reports say, are likely to hit Asian, Australian and New Zealand shores within 24 hours of the earthquake. The West Coast of the US too was alerted.

Alert sounded in Pacific Rim

Image: Images of massive destruction
Photographs: Reuters

A tsunami warning has been extended across the Pacific Rim, including most of Central and South America and as far as Australia and Antarctica.

Juan Fernandez too affected

Image: A man clears rubble after the quake in Santiago.
Photographs: Reuters

The wave has already caused serious damage to the sparsely populated Juan Fernandez islands, off the Santiago coast, reports said.

Death toll could go up

Image: Image by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Centre
Photographs: Reuters

The 8.8-magnitude quake, the country's largest in 25 years, shook the capital Santiago, leading to massive destruction, reports added.

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