Powerful Earthquake Strikes Central Chile

G-194K

M6.9 quake strikes 39km W of Valparaiso, Chile

The quake struck at a depth of about 25km offshore central Chile, but did not generate a widespread destructive tsunami.

Earthquake Details  [USGS]
Magnitude: 6.9 mww [thrust faulting, Nazca and Pacific plates]
Depth: 25.0 km
Time:  21:38:26.130 (UTC) on 2017-04-24

Distances [emsc-csem]

• 110 km NW of Santiago, Chile [pop: 4,838,000]
• 8 km NW of Valparaíso, Chile [pop: 283,000]

[Analysis available from FIRE-EARTH PULSARS.]

‘A Nightmare Without An End’

Fatal Fires Consume Thousands of Homes in Chile

• Up to 4,000 km² of forest and agricultural land and scores of farm animals have been consumed by the wildfires since November.

• The regions of O’Higgins and Maule, Bio Bio, Araucania and Los Lagos are among the most devastated areas.

• More than 1,000 homes have been destroyed in the city of Santa Olga, located about 360 km south of the capital, Santiago, forcing more than 6,000 residents to flee.

• About 4,500 fire crews are currently deployed to extinguish the wildfires.

• At least a dozen people, mostly fire crews and policemen, have lost their lives.

• “States of catastrophe” have been declared in regions of O’Higgins and El Maule.

• The authorities have reported about 3,000 fires in the drought-stricken regions since July, with more blazes forecast amid high temperatures, strong winds and low humidity.

• Dozens of blazes continue burning uncontrollably.

• The forest fires are said to be the worst in living memory to hit Chile.

• “This is an extremely serious situation—of horror, a nightmare without an end,” Carlos Valenzuela, the mayor of the coastal city of Constitucion told DW. “Everything’s burned.”

 

FIRE-EARTH Alert: Wildfires in Chile

• CJ Members
• EAC
• OC Teams

Wildfires destroy or threaten hundreds of homes in Valparaiso, Chile

• Details are available from FIRE-EARTH PULSARS.

Forest Fire Threatens Chilean Towns, Thousands Evacuated

Deadly wildfire menacing two Chilean towns, forcing thousands of evacuations

State of emergency has been declared in Chile and up to 5,000 people have been evacuated as a ferocious wildfire forces thousands of people to flee their homes.

The fire is threatening the port cities of Valparaíso, Chile’s most important seaport, located about 120km northwest of Santiago, and Viña del Mar.

[The port of Viña del Mar is included in the Greater Valparaíso area,  Chile’s third largest metropolitan area, with a population of about 980,000.]

About 5,000 residents have already been evacuated and another 10,000 are on notice to abandon their homes.

At least two people have reportedly been killed and several others, including fire crews, injured, said the local media.

A massive wildfire in Valparaiso last April destroyed thousands of homes, killing at least 15, injuring about 800 and leaving tens of thousands of people homeless.

.

Deadly Fire Destroys Thousands of Houses in Chile

‘APOCALYPTIC’ FIRE
CATASTROPHE ZONE
MASS EVACUATIONS
STATE OF EMERGENCY
.

Chile declares a State of Emergency as deadly fire destroys thousands of homes

A massive fire described as “Apocalyptic” devastated large tracts of forest and residential neighborhoods in the Chilean city of Valparaiso, destroying at least 2,000 houses and killing  about two dozen people.

Up to 50,000 people were evacuated, as the fire raged over the weekend.

The Chilean President declared a state of emergency and sent the military to maintain order in the disaster area.

Scores of residents were treated for smoke inhalations and other injuries.

Related Links

• Mass Evacuations in Chile as Fire Destroys Scores of Homes April 13, 2014

Mass Evacuations in Chile as Fire Destroys Scores of Homes

‘APOCALYPTIC’ FOREST FIRE
MAJOR  DISASTER
MASS EVACUATIONS
CATASTROPHE ZONE DECLARED
.

Chile declares Valparaiso a catastrophe zone

UPDATED at 16:00UTC

“Apocalyptic” forest fire raging uncontrollably in Valparaiso

Chilean President has declared the city of Valparaiso, 105km west of the capital Santiago, a catastrophe zone and put the army in charge of the mass evacuations, after a raging forest fire spread into the city, killing at least two dozen people and destroying more than 500 homes.

“Valparaiso is without electricity at the moment and this means the flame column is creating a Dante-esque panorama and is advancing in an apparently uncontrollable manner,” said the city mayor, adding that shelters had been set up for the thousands of residents that have been forced to flee the blaze.

Valparaiso mega blaze continues to grow. Fanned by strong winds from the Pacific ocean, the massive blaze is  moving deeper into the heart of  the city consuming hundreds of buildings, and forcing the government to order mass evacuations, as the the city is declared a catastrophe zone. Photo: Original source unknown,  believed to be from the local media and may be subject to copyright.

 

Chile Struck by 7.3 and 7.2M Aftershocks

7.3M and 7.2M Aftershocks Rattle Chile

Two powerful shocks measuring 7.3M and 7.2M  and a dozen other aftershocks strike LIBERTADOR O HIGGINS, CHILE

Both aftershock struck at a depth of about 20km, some 5 km apart, approximately 145 km (90 miles)  SW of SANTIAGO, Chile

The swarm also included two strong shocks measuring 6.2Mw and 6.0Mw respectively.

Details of Aftershock Measuring 7.3Mw

GFZ Potsdam – Earthquake Bulletin
Region: Near Coast of Central Chile
Time: 2010-03-11 14:39:46.4 UTC
Magnitude: 7.3
Epicenter: 71.78°W 34.17°S
Depth: 20 km
Status: manually revised

EQ Location Map. Click image to enlarge.
© Helmholtz-Zentrum Potsdam Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum – GFZ

Distances  (USGS)

• 110 km (70 miles) W of Rancagua, Chile
• 130 km (80 miles) N of Talca, Chile
• 140 km (85 miles) SSW of Valparaiso, Chile
• 145 km (90 miles) SW of SANTIAGO, Chile

Details of Aftershock Measuring 7.2Mw

GFZ Potsdam – Earthquake Bulletin
Region: Near Coast of Central Chile
Time: 2010-03-11 14:55:28.5 UTC
Magnitude: 7.2
Epicenter: 71.90°W 34.25°S
Depth: 20 km
Status: manually revised

EQ Location Map. Click image to enlarge. [The two shocks occurred about 5km apart.]
© Helmholtz-Zentrum Potsdam Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum – GFZ

Distances (USGS)

• 100 km (65 miles) W of Rancagua, Chile
• 130 km (80 miles) N of Talca, Chile
• 140 km (85 miles) S of Valparaiso, Chile
• 140 km (90 miles) SW of SANTIAGO, Chile

Tsunami Evaluation:

• Tsunami Arrival Table

Tsunami Information Statements issued by NOAA/NWS/West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center and PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER/NOAA/NWS said:

A strong earthquake has occurred, but a tsunami IS NOT expected along the California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, or Alaska coast. NO tsunami warning, watch or advisory is in effect for these areas.

Based on the earthquake magnitude and historic tsunami records, a damaging tsunami IS NOT expected along the California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and Alaska coasts. At coastal locations which have experienced strong ground shaking, local tsunamis are possible due to underwater landslides.

Related Links:

• Chile Earthquake Broke Earth’s Crust
• Chile Quake Moved Cities by 3m
• Another Strong Aftershock Srikes Chile

• Chile Earthquake Links Page
• FEWW Earthquake Links
• Volcanoes
• FEWW Volcano Links