No immediate risk of US tsunami from huge Chile earthquake; officials evaluating Hawaii threat

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – U.S. officials say they’ve found no threat of a tsunami along the coasts of Alaska, California, Oregon or Washington after a major earthquake near Chile, with danger to Hawaii limited to potentially strong currents at beaches.

Bill Knight, a scientist at the National Tsunami Warning Center, says early data show that by the time waves generated by Tuesday night’s magnitude-8.2 quake reach the West Coast, they’ll be too small to pose any threat.

Director Chip McCreery of the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center says officials don’t expect a major tsunami threat to Hawaii. But the centre issued an advisory saying swimmers, boaters and others at beaches might see strong currents and sea level changes.

Chilean authorities ordered an evacuation of coastal areas there in case of a tsunami.