Powerful Chile quake causes damage and flooding from small tsunami waves

A magnitude-8.3 quake hit off northern Chile on Wednesday night, causing buildings to sway in the capital of Santiago and prompting authorities to issue a tsunami warning for the Andean nation’s entire Pacific coast, reports The Globe and Mail.

Although officials cautioned it was too early to know for sure, it appeared Wednesday’s quake had a much smaller impact than the 2010 tremor. If that turns out to be the case, it will be a sign that Chile’s traditionally strong risk reduction measures and emergency planning had gotten better in the last five years.

"It is true that preparedness and risk reduction in Chile is ahead of that in much of the world, and that makes a difference", said Susan Hough from US Geological Survey to The Globe and Mail.