Tsunami Alert Issued For Entire Pacific

The 7th largest earthquake in recorded history has struck off Chile today, magnitude 8.8.

The entire Pacific is now under tsunami alert.

The official warnings being issued tonight (Sydney time) across dozens of countries demand everyone to stay away from coastlines and beaches. No sight-seeing, no surfing.

The tsunami alerts are extremely dramatic, and they may prove to have been too dramatic, but right now they're downright fucking terrifying.

The waves have not struck anywhere yet, but Easter Island is believed to be the first, in about half an hour from now (11.15pm Sydney time)

In Australia, thousands watching The Day After Tomorrow on TV have been jolted by real world tsunami warnings flashing and scrolling onto their screens during the movie.

And there's this stunning map, issued about 9pm Sydney time :



I'm updating on the massive flow of news and eyewitness reports about the Pacific Tsunami over at :

The Orstrahyun

Below is an excerpt from a weather bureau warning explaining how we can tell that the tsunami threat has passed :

"FOR ALL AREAS – WHEN NO MAJOR WAVES ARE OBSERVED FOR TWO HOURS AFTER THE ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL OR DAMAGING WAVES HAVE NOT OCCURRED FOR AT LEAST TWO HOURS THEN LOCAL AUTHORITIES CAN ASSUME THE THREAT IS PASSED. DANGER TO BOATS AND COASTAL STRUCTURES CAN CONTINUE FOR SEVERAL HOURS DUE TO RAPID CURRENTS. "

Most countries and islands of the Pacific will likely get small to slightly damaging waves.

But right now, this feels very, very bad.