The massive magnitude 8.8 earthquake that struck Chile early Saturday morning has now left at least 120 dead, with the toll expected to rise. The earthquake has also triggered a tsunami that has led officials throughout the Pacific to issue Tsunami warnings.
Coastal cities throughout the Pacific region were bracing for possible tsunamis including the island of Hawaii, which was expected to be hit by a 1-2 meters high tsunami by midday.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a warning for Chile and Peru, and a less-urgent tsunami watch for Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica and Antarctica as well as the coast of California and an Alaskan coastal area from Kodiak to Attu islands. Authorities in Australia have advised people to stay away from the coast. Japan and Russia also received Tsunami warnings.
The U.S. Geological Survey and eyewitnesses reported more than two dozen aftershocks, including two measuring magnitude 6.2 and 6.9.
There are reports that this earthquake released 500 times the energy of the magnitude 7.0 quake that struck Haiti last month.