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Public Safety

Earthquake Triggers Pacific Tsunami Warnings For Central & South America

An estimated 7.6-magnitude earthquake in Costa Rica has triggered tsunami warnings for the Pacific coasts of Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala and Peru.
USGS
An estimated 7.6-magnitude earthquake in Costa Rica has triggered tsunami warnings for the Pacific coasts of Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala and Peru.

An estimated 7.6-magnitude earthquake in Costa Rica has triggered tsunami warnings for the Pacific coasts of Costa Rica, Panama, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala and Peru.

A warning means "a tsunami is imminent and that coastal locations in the warned area should prepare for flooding," according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

A slightly less ominous "tsunami watch" has been issued for Chile.

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According to NOAA's Tsunami.gov website, "an evaluation of the Pacific-wide tsunami threat is underway and there is a possibility that Hawaii could be elevated to a watch or warning status."

There's no word yet on the situation in Costa Rica.

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