SANTIAGO DE CHILE – The coasts of Chile were hit this Saturday afternoon by a tsunami with waves of almost two meters in the north, after the eruption of a submarine volcano near the island of Tonga in the Pacific, which had the Latin American country on alert throughout the day.
The largest waves were felt in some cities in the north of the country, such as Iquique and Atacama, where slight flooding occurred, as confirmed by the Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service of the Chilean Navy (SHOA).
SHOA provides an updated report of the maximum tsunami amplitudes recorded by the sea level stations. Learn more at https://t.co/fhM09tGW9O
— onemichile (@onemichile) January 09, 2022
“These events are anomalies that do not respond to a known pattern. Until now, little has happened, but we are alert“, affirmed SHOA Admiral Leonardo Chávez.
Images broadcast through Social networks show the arrival of strong waves at some beaches and the destruction of an artisan dock in the Los Ríos region, to the south, where the tsunami was also felt.
During the day the evacuation of the coasts was ordered in 13 of the 16 regions of Chile, which has more than 6. 30 kilometers of coastline, and a “red alert” was decreed in six specific areas, in that a safety level of 16 meters above sea level was established.
SHOA added that the arrival time of the current to other regions will depend on the “ height of the tide, which varies according to the area”.