Massive Earthquake in the Pacific Triggers Nationwide Evacuation in Chile .. In a rapid response to a major natural threat, Chilean authorities evacuated nearly 1.4 million people from coastal areas after a powerful earthquake struck the Pacific Ocean off the Russian coast, triggering fears of a potential tsunami.
Interior Minister Álvaro Elizalde confirmed on Thursday that “after the first tsunami waves reached the country, approximately 1.4 million residents were evacuated nationwide,” adding that no immediate damage had been reported so far.
The earthquake struck at 08:24 local time (23:24 GMT) on Tuesday near Petropavlovsk, off Russia’s remote Kamchatka Peninsula. It occurred at a depth of 20.7 kilometers and about 126 km from Kamchatka’s capital, making it a strong seismic event capable of generating oceanic disturbances.
Chilean emergency services promptly issued national alerts, launching one of the largest preventive evacuations in recent memory.
Though no damages or casualties have been reported, seismic experts continue to monitor the situation closely. With heightened seismic activity in the Pacific Ring of Fire, countries in the region remain on high alert for aftershocks or potential secondary waves.