A major earthquake of magnitude 8.2 hit Chile Tuesday night, killing at least five people and setting off a small tsunami that forced the evacuation of coastal areas and warnings for much of Latin America's Pacific Coast.
By late Tuesday, tsunami warnings and watches remained for the coasts of Peru and Chile, while U.S. officials reported no threat along the coasts of Alaska, California, Oregon or Washington. The danger to Hawaii was still under evaluation, but the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said it didn't expect a major tsunami threat to the islands. The center issued an advisory saying swimmers, boaters and others at beaches might see strong currents and sea level changes.
The USGS initially reported the tremor at 8.0, but later upgraded the magnitude. It said the quake struck 61 miles (99 kilometers) northwest of the Chilean city of Iquique at 6:46 p.m. U.S. Central time, hitting a region that has been rocked by numerous quakes...
