Did A Tsunami Bomb Cause A Powerful 8.3. Earthquake Off The Coast Of Chile ?

From the

USGS:

A powerful earthquake strikes off the coast of Chile. The quake, originally measured at 7.2, has reportedly been upgraded to 8.3. “Widespread hazardous tsunami waves are possible”, warns the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. Copper is jumping: 

 

The United States Geological Survey, using computer models, estimates that some 1.1 million people may have felt strong shaking as a result of the earthquake. This includes about 54,000 people who may have experienced “very strong” shaking, and some 4,000 who may have experienced “severe” shaking. The worst hit city would have been Illapel. Nearly 10 million others may have felt light to moderate shaking.

And from CBS:

 

 

U.S. officials said the quake struck just offshore in the Pacific at 7:54 p.m. and was centered about 141 miles north-northwest of Santiago. It said the quake was 4.8 miles below the surface. Chile’s emergency office warned that big waves caused by the quake could hit the coast by 11 p.m. The National Weather Service warning tsunami waves could strike Hawaii around 2:30 a.m. Thursday, local time.

More from AP:

 

 

A powerful magnitude-8.3 earthquake shook Chile’s capital Wednesday night, causing buildings to sway and people to take refuge in the streets. Several strong aftershocks hit within minutes as tsunami alarms sounded in the nearby port of Valparaiso. There were no immediate reports on any injuries or damage, but communications were disrupted. Chilean authorities issued a tsunami alert for the country’s entire coast, and U.S. officials posted an alert for Hawaii. Chile’s emergency office warned that big waves caused by the quake could hit the coast by 11 p.m. The U.S. Geological Survey initially reported the quake at a preliminary magnitude of 7.9 but quickly revised the reading upward to 8.3. U.S. officials said the quake struck just offshore in the Pacific at 7:54 p.m. (6:54 p.m. EDT, 1154 GMT) and was centered about 141 miles (228 kilometers) north-northwest of Santiago. It said the quake was 4.8 miles (5 kilometers) below the surface. A magnitude-8.8 quake and ensuing tsunami in central Chile in 2010 killed more than 500 people, destroyed 220,000 homes, and washed away docks, riverfronts and seaside resorts. That quake released so much energy, it actually it shortened the Earth’s day by a fraction of a second by changing the planet’s rotation. Chile is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries because just off the coast, the Nazca tectonic plate plunges beneath the South American plate, pushing the towering Andes cordillera to ever-higher altitudes. The strongest earthquake ever recorded on Earth happened in Chile — a magnitude-9.5 tremor in 1960 that killed more than 5,000 people.

And here’s a look at the drama, as it unfolded: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iU7LmKPTipE] [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8V3FWTo9tQ]