ABC News
Saturday February 27, 2010 3:40am
Nations across the Pacific are bracing for a destructive tsunami triggered by a massive magnitude 8.8 earthquake that struck near the coast of south-central Chile, killing at least 47 people.
There are fears the tsunami could spread as far as Australia, with the Weather Bureau issuing a tsunami warning for Queensland following the earthquake in Chile.
Almost all countries in the Pacific have been issued a warning, including New Zealand, Tonga, Samoa, Hawaii and as far as Russia and Japan.
The bureau says the coastline could be affected from Point Danger to Double Island Point and Moreton Bay in southern Queensland.
Senior forecaster Geoff Doueal says there is the possibility of dangerous waves, strong ocean currents and foreshore flooding for several hours from 8:00am on Sunday morning.
The Philippines' government has warned coastal communities on the eastern side of the archipelago to prepare for possible tsunami evacuation.
"Coastal areas fronting the Pacific Ocean ... should keep watch," the advisory said.
The quake struck hours after the southern Japanese island of Okinawa was hit buy a powerful earthquake.
The 7.0 magnitude quake was measured at a depth of 22 kilometres and was centred 81 kilometres east south-east of Naha in Okinawa, the USGS said. Minor tsunami were observed in the southern Japanese island after the quake but there were no reports of damage.
CNN weather presenter Ivan Cabrera says the Chilean quake was 1,000 times stronger than the quake which rocked Haiti last month, virtually flattening the capital Port-au-Prince.
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