September 16, 2015 Tsunami: Central Chile

Reference #11262:

On September 16, 2015, an earthquake registering 8.4 on the Richter scale shook Chile between the Atacama and La Araucanía regions. The National Emergency Office (ONEMI, per its Spanish acronym) issued a tsunami warning for the entire Chilean coastal area, evacuating over 600,000 people. ONEMI reports that approximately 681,484 people were affected as a result of the earthquake, and has declared the Coquimbo region as a disaster area.

According to the damage and need assessments carried out in Coquimbo by the Chilean Red Cross, there were 13 casualties, 6 people are missing, 15 wounded, and 57 people currently in Coquimbo's evacuation centres. An estimated 704 houses were destroyed, 1,245 rendered uninhabitable, 3,122 houses with minor damage, and 1,183 people have been left without electricity. The drinkable water supply has already been restored.

Ports: The Port of Coquimbo is closed due to damage sustained to its infrastructure, while the ports of Tongoy and Los Vilos function as normal; 17 fishing bays are also closed due to damage sustained to infrastructure. The bays of Limarí, Peñuelas, and Guayacán have suffered damage to their infrastructure that is preventing normal operations. Precautions are to be taken if travelling by sea, especially in Tongoy, due to the debris of 88 shipwrecked vessels.

Reference #11469:

A total of 15 fatalities occurred from the earthquake and tsunami. Of the 15 fatalities, 11 occurred in Coquimbo Region, 3 occurred in Valparaiso Region and 1 in Santiago Metropolitan Region (reference #11470). A total of 8 (of 15) fatalities were attributed to the tsunami. In Coquimbo city, there were 6 fatalities from the tsunami. One tsunami fatalities occurred in both the cities of Tongoy and Puerto Aldea.

Reference #11470:

In all of Chile, 660635 people were evacuated, 15 fatalities, 14 people injured, 1 person missing, 2305 dwellings destroyed, 2743 dwellings with major damage, 7301 dwellings with minor damage.

Reference #11343:

A tsunami threat message from the PTWC was issued 7 min after the main shock and the National Hydrographic and Oceanic Service (SHOA), the organization in charge of the Chile's National Tsunami Warning System, issued a tsunami alarm message 8 min after the earthquake (SHOA 2015a). A preventive evacuation status for the entire Chilean Coast was declared by the National Emergency Office (ONEMI) 11 min after the earthquake (ONEMI 2015). Despite the prompt evacuation, eight causalities were attributed to the tsunami (ONEMI 2015).

Reference #11263:

A total of 394 artisanal vessels were affected, to varying degrees, by the tsunami that hit the coast of the Coquimbo Region after the earthquake taking place on 16 September. The fishing cadastre was performed in the field by the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service (SERNAPESCA) in conjunction with Navy personnel, and considered 23 fishing villages throughout the region. Undersecretary of Fisheries and Aquaculture Raul Sunico explained that out of all the vessels affected, 131 have experienced a total loss, 192 recorded loss of their engines, 247 lost their equipment and fishing gear, and additional 102 need to be repaired. Among the most affected areas are Caleta Coquimbo, which recorded a total of 68 vessels with total loss. Many of these boats are sunk in the bay and others were moved to the port esplanade by the sea.