TSUNAMI SLAMS JUAN FERNANDEZ ISLANDS
Posted by Jim Hoft on Saturday, February 27, 2010, 9:28 AM
A giant tsunami wave slammed the Juan Fernandez Islands today off the coast of Chile following an 8.8 magnitude earthquake.
Reuters reported, via MSNBC, that a tsunami caused by the quake caused “serious damage” to Chile’s sparsely populated Juan Fernández Islands, where Scottish sailor Alexander Selkirk was marooned in the 18th Century inspiring the novel Robinson Crusoe.
Russia’s Ria Novosti reported:
A 3-meter tsunami wave hit on Saturday the Robinson Crusoe island, the largest in the Chilean Juan Fernandez archipelago, following a powerful earthquake which struck Chile earlier in the day, the country’s president, Michelle Bachelet, said.
“A village on the island is half-flooded, people have been evacuated to higher elevations,” the president said, adding there had been extreme damage from the tsunami.
The 8.8-magnitude earthquake hit the Latin American country in the early hours of Saturday. The tremor occurred some 89 kilometers (55.3 miles) to the north of Chile’s second largest city Concepcion, some 341 kilometers (212 miles) from the capital of Santiago.
Chilean President Michelle Bachelet said it was heading towards Easter Island, which is being evacuated.
Meanwhile…. The 28th aftershock, magnitude 5.2, just struck in the Metropolitana region of Chile – U.S. Geological Survey.
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Published February 21, 2012 at 12:03 pm - 62 Comments
Dick Turpin commented:
This is bad. We need to pray for these people and the country of Chile.
gus commented:
I blame Bush.
Zipity commented:
Any word yet on why G.W. Bush caused this to happen…?
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Sojourner commented:
Prayers for all.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2460455/posts
Taqiyy. commented:
“Chilean President Michelle Bachelet said it was heading towards Easter Island, which is being evacuated.”
Thanks for the heads-up.
(sorry)
LilMissSunshine commented:
I read that Al Gore said it was all due to global warming: seems reasonable to me.
JKB commented:
This could be ugly. It could have Pacific-wide impacts.
In the late 1868 an earthquake devastated Arica. The bay drained, then the returning water rolled up the ships in their anchor chains. Ships washed inland. One the WATREE, flat-bottomed, settled erect but about 500 yards from the water. It was a Ripley’s enty. National Geographic had an article about the tsunami written by a then admiral who was a midshipman on the Watree.
http://www.usc.edu/dept/tsunamis/peru/ptsu_1868.html
bg commented:
++
previous reports:
Series of Small Earthquakes Strike Central California as Huge Quakes Rock Japan and Chile
[Microquakes have been shaking the Coso Junction area of Eastern Central California all week, but it wasn't until tonight when more noticeable ones struck. A light 4.1 earthquake struck at 10:22 p.m., followed by two minor shakers--a 3.8 at 11:10 p.m. and a 3.4 at 11:21 p.m.
Meanwhile, today has been subject of two much stronger quakes. A 7.0 magnitude quake struck off the coast of Okinawa, Japan in the Ryukyu Islands around 5:31 a.m. Saturday local time, or 12:31 p.m. Friday Pacific Standard Time. There have been no reports of major damage or injuries.
Then at 10:34 p.m. PST, an 8.8 earthquake struck off the coast of Maule, Chile, causing buildings to collapse and power outages in the Chilean capital Santiago. "My mom and little brother lost everything but their lives. Thank God!" said a relative living in Southern California. "When morning comes over there we will know more about the damages."
In 1960, Chile experienced a 9.5 magnitude quake that left 1,655 people dead.]
==
Taqiyy. commented:
From JKB’s link:
” Accounts from crew members of the two American ships who survived the tsunami give the following details. Several minutes after the quake the first tsunami wave arrived at Arica as a rapid rise of water, followed by a fierce withdrawal. The second wave estimated at 90 feet, was the largest. Its advance dashed the hapless Fredonia to pieces on the rocks of a harbor island, killing all but two crew members. The second wave snapped the moorings of both the Americana and the Watree, and carried the two ships far inland, where they eventually ran aground. When the ocean finally returned to normal the Watree was, amazingly, still in near-perfect condition…. sitting on the beach 430 yards from the water!”
Imagine a 90-foot wave.
http://www.todoarquitectura.com/revista/39/images/gal_sismos/Fig%201%20tsunami%20arica%201868.JPG
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Wateree_%281863%29
Hawaii is prepping it’s coastal areas for evac, according to drudge.
jonyjoe101 commented:
It would be good if the tsunami hit Somalia and wrecked all the pirates boats, but unfortunately it never works out that way.
JKB commented:
This is going to be a long day for half the world. The waves don’t reach Hawaii for another 5 hours. The 1960 tsunami wiped out Hilo and forced the city to look as it does today with a large park between the buildings and the bay.
It’ll be early tomorrow morning in the US before the energy is to reach China.
They’re predicting a 3 ft tsunami for Santa Monica Bay.
KR commented:
Here is a link to maps of earthquake activity in California on a daily basis. To the left are links to maps of other regions worldwide.
http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/recenteqs/latest.htm
Valerie commented:
So, there is some time? Now we will find out how well the alert system is working.
“3 meter tsunami (10 feet – Easter Island)” “3 foot tsunami (Santa Monica Bay)” — how does that translate into wave height and penetration inland?
Taqiyy. commented:
JKB is there a site which is tracking cities and ETAs?
Taqiyy. commented:
http://www.prh.noaa.gov/ptwc/hawaii.php
Useful info on HI tsunamis.
http://www.prh.noaa.gov/ptwc/?region=0
Pacific Tsunami Warning Center
bg commented:
++
Taqiyy. @ 10:40 am #10
re: [Hawaii is prepping it’s coastal
areas for evac, according to drudge.]
sarc on/
gee, hope Obama’s 30 million “Winter White House” fares well.. i
mean, where could they go to celebrate CHRISTMAS if it didn’t..
/sarc off
==
Valerie commented:
US coast not seriously affected. Tsunami advisory for entire California coast
http://www.sandiego6.com/news/local/story/Chile-earthquake-8-8-tsunami-quake/snOqkv-hCE-VY0iSCe8gIw.cspx
i.e., stay away from the beach, harbors, and the marinas, no widespread inundation expected.
When the series of waves and currents hits the US, it should arrive in San Diego at noon, and Santa Barbara about 12:30
http://laist.com/2010/02/27/tsunami_advisory_issued_for_califor.php
JKB commented:
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii is primary on this event as their responsibility is Hawaii and the rest of the Pacific. The West Coast and Alaska Warning Center issues bulletins for the US mainland and is primary for tsunami generated off Alaska and if occurs the US West Coast. The magnitudes and times for the US are from the WCATWC
WCATWC – http://wcatwc.arh.noaa.gov/
down with dems commented:
This is already a tragedy with the potential to become even worse, but…
you know that at some point this will be blamed on global warming. The only question is how long it will take.
JKB commented:
“…how does that translate into wave height and penetration inland?”
I’m a little rusty on this but the local impact of tsunami energy is dependent on bathymetry and topography. In essence for a tsunami, the entire water column is being driven by the energy vice the top few meters in wind driven wave energy. So tsunami are impacted by seafloor bathymetry both in speed and steering. When the energy approaches a landmass, the coastal bathymetry may either concentrate or disperse the energy. The US west coast offshore being relatively steep cuts off the lower portion of the energy rather than letting it rise into surf like waves. Hilo Harbor on the other hand is at the top of what is basically a funnel of gentle sloping offshore bathymetry concentrating the energy until the water is forced inland. This is why many Pacific islands are not overrun by tsunami as they are essentially on top of steep underwater mountain peaks. The shear walls of those mountains take the energy and deflect it rather than letting if flow upward building the waves. Of course, the top portion of the energy can cause rising water and rapid currents as it passes producing near-shore impacts. A tsunami wave is not noticeable to an observer on a ship in deep water due to its low height and horizon to horizon wave length.
Gabriela commented:
I am trying to get ANY information on the people residing in Juan Fernandez Island – Robinson Crusoe. I know that 13 people are missing with 3 casualties but I haven’t found a way to locate my aunt. I keep hoping that she is safe on high grounds but until then, the family is frantic. If anyone has any information regarding residents of Juan Fernandez Island – Robinson Crusoe, please help. Thank you
Sheila commented:
So how soon can we expect to see Dear Leader and the wookie on t.v., earnestly appealing for American charity and aid for those suffering in Chile? Oh, I forgot, they’re not really “people of color” and they are economically thriving on free market reforms (primarily by privatizing their social security program). I’m just another callous nazi wannabe who doesn’t need the government to tell me towards whom I must feel charitable and whose hand I must allow in my pocket, though, so I must be marginalized by cries, on both left and right, of “Hater! Bigot! Racist!” This is a case where words really don’t hurt me, because I don’t give a damn. Decline and fall.