Phivolcs monitoring tsumani threat after powerful Chile quake

MANILA, Philippines - State seismologists are checking for possible threats to the country following a magnitude-8.2 earthquake that hit northern Chile on Wednesday morning (Manila time).

In an advisory, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said it is "monitoring sea-level changes associated with this event to evaluate any threat to the Philippines and provide updates as new information is received."

While no evacuation order is in effect, Phivolcs advised the public to wait for more updates.

The powerful earthquake occurred near the coast of northern Chile at 07:47 a.m. with a depth of 10 kilometers.

Phivolcs said an earthquake of this size has the potential to generate a destructive tsunami that can strike coastlines near the epicenter within minutes and more distant coastlines within hours.

A tsunami warning is in effect for Chile, Peru and Ecuador while a tsunami watch is in effect for Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and El Salvador.

The agency said tsunami waves were monitored in tide gauges in Peru and Chile with a maximum wave height of 2.11 meters in Pisagua, Chile.

Both the Philippines and Chile are situated along the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, an area where a numerous earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur. - Louis Bacani