Tsunami waves triggered by the powerful 8,8 earth quake in Chile are threatening Hawaii with devastation, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center informs Saturday.

The messages alert about the urgent need to undertake measures to protect the life and the property of the local people.

The first wave is expected to reach Hawaii around 11:20 am local time (11 pm Bulgarian time) with height of 5 meters. The culmination of each wave hitting the shore can last anywhere between 5 and 15 minutes, but the danger will linger for hours after the first hit.

In addition to Hawaii, high alert is declared for the entire Pacific Ocean – the South America shoreline, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Russia.

People are warned to not go to the beaches to watch the tsunami, to anchor and tie their boats or those already in boating in the Pacific to remain in open sea until further orders. Chileans along the coast are evacuating as well after the waves hit the Juan Fernandez island group, reportedly causing serious devastation.

Until 3 pm Bulgarian time the dead toll was listed at 78, but it is expected to climb.

The earthquake struck 35 km deep at 06:34 GMT, some 91 km northeast of the city of Concepcion and 317 km southwest of the capital, Santiago.

Buildings in Santiago were reported to have shaken for between 10 and 30 seconds, with the loss of electricity and communications. Preliminary reports list at least 78 casualties and a large number of collapsed buildings.

Santiago airport is closed and all flights are canceled until further notice, airline officials say.

The shocks were felt strongly also in Peru, Argentina and Ecuador.

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