Tsunami Warning Issued for Hawaii After 8.8 Chile Quake

A tsunami warning has been issued for Hawaii after an 8.8 quake hit Chile early Saturday. Asia and Australia are also preparing for a tsunami.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii issued a tsunami caution for areas across the region.

“Sea-level readings confirm that a tsunami has been generated which could cause widespread damage,” the center said in a bulletin after the 8.8 quake.

Chilean President Michele Bachelet said the death toll from the quake was at 78 and rising. Interior Minister Edmundo Perez Yoma told reporters, “It has been a devastating earthquake.”

The US Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre predicts damage to the Hawaiian coast from 9 pm GMT today.