Puerto Vallarta on tsunami warning after strong quake in Chile

THIS WARNING HAS EXPIRED. YOU ARE READING AN ARCHIVED STORY.

After the earthquake of 8.3 degrees was recorded off the coast of Chile, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC for its acronym in English), issued an alert for the coast of Mexico and other countries where they can register effects of this phenomenon.

According to the State Unit of Civil Protection and Fire Jalisco, officers stationed on the beaches of Puerto Vallarta and Cihuatlán are monitoring the sea to detect any variation in the surf and, if necessary, restrict take preventive measures.

Following the report of the earthquake, and after some evacuations were made ​​in the coastal areas of Chile, local media reported that waves reaching a height of over seven meters.

Vallarta Daily news will keep you updated on this page as more information or public notices are issued.

Tsunami is any wave generated by an earthquake, volcano, or underwater explosion. A tsunami can be as minimal as 1 CM in height. A tsunami does not indicate massive destruction and any tsunami wave recorded on the coast of Mexico is estimated to be one meter in height, or less. Tsunami waves do cause dangerous currents and swimmers should be aware of their surroundings. 

Recorded Activity.
PURETO ANGEL MX – .37 METERS
SALINA CRUZ MX – .22 METERS
CHIAPAS MX – .19 METERS
HUATULCO MX – .18 METERS

UPDATES:

9:28 PM Local Time: PTWC does not expect significant activity along the pacific coast at this time, however an advisory remains in place for the Pacific Coast of Mexico and recently extended to California.

11:05 PM: Civil Protection has issued a statement that there is little chance of a tsunami registering in Puerto Vallarta because of the bay. It is expected that the open seas will see an increase in waves around 3 AM, but very unlikely to register anything significant along the Vallarta coast, however they will continue monitoring. That is the official statement from the city at 11:05 PM local time. The advisories have not been discontinued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, however the city is asking people to disregard the warnings based on local officials monitoring the situation.

11:30 PM – Warning from Pacific Tsunami Warning Center:

EVALUATION
----------

  * AN EARTHQUAKE WITH A PRELIMINARY MAGNITUDE OF 8.3 OCCURRED
    NEAR THE COAST OF CENTRAL CHILE AT 2254 UTC ON WEDNESDAY
    SEPTEMBER 16 2015.

  * TSUNAMI WAVES HAVE BEEN OBSERVED.

  * BASED ON ALL AVAILABLE DATA... HAZARDOUS TSUNAMI WAVES ARE
    FORECAST FOR SOME COASTS.


TSUNAMI THREAT FORECAST
-----------------------

  * TSUNAMI WAVES REACHING MORE THAN 3 METERS ABOVE THE TIDE
    LEVEL ARE POSSIBLE ALONG SOME COASTS OF

      CHILE.


  * TSUNAMI WAVES REACHING 1 TO 3 METERS ABOVE THE TIDE LEVEL ARE
    POSSIBLE ALONG SOME COASTS OF

      FRENCH POLYNESIA.


  * TSUNAMI WAVES REACHING 0.3 TO 1 METERS ABOVE THE TIDE LEVEL
    ARE POSSIBLE FOR SOME COASTS OF

      MEXICO... ECUADOR... PERU... ANTARCTICA... JAPAN... NEW
      CALEDONIA... NEW ZEALAND... MARSHALL ISLANDS... FIJI... SAMOA...
      AMERICAN SAMOA... COOK ISLANDS... TOKELAU... VANUATU...
      KIRIBATI... JOHNSTON ISLAND... PALMYRA ISLAND... HOWLAND AND
      BAKER... TONGA... WALLIS AND FUTUNA... PITCAIRN ISLANDS...
      NIUE... SOLOMON ISLANDS... RUSSIA... HAWAII... AND NW HAWAIIAN
      ISLANDS.

Tsunami energy map: