| |
| Date (local) | February 27, 2010, 03:34 |
|---|---|
| Magnitude | 8.8 Mw |
| Depth: | 35 km |
| Epicenter location | 100 km NNW of Chillan |
| Tsunami: | yes |
| Casualties: | 507 |
On Saturday, February 27, 2010, at 3:34 AM local time (06:34 UTC), an earthquake with a magnitude of 8.8 occurred 100 km northnorthwest of Chillan, Chile. It was felt in large parts of South America, as far as Sao Paulo, Brazil. A tsunami of 2.34 meters height was recorded in Talcahuano, Chile.[1] In California, which the tsunami reached about 20:00 UTC, it still was up to 66 cm high (in Santa Monica).[2] The wave reached heights of up to 1.98 meters (Marquesas islands) in the Pacific.[1]
The place where the earthquake hit is on a subduction zone where the Nazca plate dives under the South American plate.
Damage[]
At least 507[3] people were killed. Destruction of highways and buildings was reported from large parts of central Chile, especially in Maule and Bio-Bio.