A tsunami threat has been issued in Chile after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Drake Passage on Friday.
This is a body of water located between the southern tip of South America and Antarctica.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) detected the strong quake at 4:29pm ET at a depth of nine miles. The tsunami threat was issued about 19 minutes after.
The epicenter was located 135 miles south of Puerto Williams on the north coast of Navarino Island, at the southern tip of South America in the Magallanes and Antártica Chilena Region of Chile.
Officials warned that Dangerous tsunami waves are possible along coasts within about 620 miles of the earthquake, especially in Chile.
The first wave is expected to reach Puerto Williams at 6:36am ET on October 11 and Punta Arenas at 2:49pm ET the same day.
Tsunamis are a series of waves, and the time between wave crests can range from five minutes to an hour.
The hazard may persist for many hours after the first wave because waves travel long distances across the ocean and slow down as they approach shallow coastal waters, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) in an alert.
This is a developing story… More updates to come
Chile is under a tsunami threat after a 7.8 earthquake hit off the coast near Drake’s Passage
The epicenter was located 135 miles south of Puerto Williams on the north coast of Navarino Island, at the southern tip of South America in the Magallanes and Antártica Chilena Region of Chile
The NWS noted impacts can vary depending on the shape, elevation and underwater features of the coastline, as well as the state of the tide when the waves arrive.
People caught in the water may drown, be struck by debris or be swept out to sea.
