At 3:34 am local time, today, February 27th, a devastating magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck Chile, one of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded. According to Chile's interior minister, at least 214 people are now known to have been killed. The earthquake also triggered a Tsunami which is right now propagating across the Pacific Ocean, due to arrive in Hawaii in hours (around 11:00 am local time). The severity of the Tsunami is still not known, but alerts are being issued across the Pacific. As this is a breaking story, I will be adding more photos to this entry, as warranted, throughout the day.
1. Cars lie overturned after the highway they were travelling on was destroyed in an earthquake in Santiago February 27, 2010. (REUTERS/Marco Fredes)
2. A resident of Talca, Chile, walks amid debris of a destroyed house after a powerful earthquake struck the country early Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010. (AP Photo/Roberto Candia) #
3. Residents look at the body of a dead man lying in a street of Talca, some 275 kilometers south of Santiago, Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010, after an 8.8-magnitude struck central Chile. The quake hit 200 miles (325 kilometers) southwest of the capital and the epicenter was just 70 miles (115 kilometers) from Concepcion, Chile's second-largest city. (AP Photo/Roberto Candia) #
4. The walls and aisles of a pharmacy in Vina del Mar are seen destroyed after a huge 8.8-magnitude earthquake rocked Chile early on February 27, 2010. The massive quake plunged much of the Chilean capital, Santiago, into darkness as it snapped power lines and severed communications, and AFP journalists spoke of walls and masonry collapsing. People in pajamas fled onto the streets. (MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images) #
5. People walk along a highway with a collapsed bridge in the background in the outskirts of Santiago after a huge 8.8-magnitude earthquake rocked Chile early on February 27, 2010. (MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images) #
6. A police officer controls the traffic aside of an elevated highway that collapsed in Santiago following a powerful earthquake in central Chile, Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010. (AP Photo/David Lillo) #
7. Smoke from a burning building fills the sky in the outskirts of Santiago after a huge 8.8-magnitude earthquake rocked Chile on February 27, 2010. (MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images) #
8. A resident takes photos of a building damaged in Talca, Chile, Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010. (AP Photo/Sebastian Martinez) #
9. With a computer graphic showing the possible path of tsunami waves from an earthquake in Chile, Dr. Charles McCreery speaks on the phone at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010 in Ewa Beach, Hawaii. The State of Hawaii is under a tsunami warning after an 8.8 magnitude earthquake rattled Chile today. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia) #
10. A police officer and residents carry a body from a destroyed house in Talca, Chile, some 275 kilometers south of Santiago, Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010 after an 8.8-magnitude struck central Chile. (AP Photo/Sebastian Martinez) #
11. The walls of a hotel in Vina del Mar are seen destroyed after a huge 8.8-magnitude earthquake rocked Chile on February 27, 2010. (MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images) #
12. A woman sits in front a quake-damaged house in Talca, Chile, after a 8.8-magnitude earthquake struck the country early Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010. (AP Photo/Sebastian Martinez) #
13. Rescue workers search for victims and survivors after an apartment complex collapsed during an earthquake in Concepcion some 100 km (62 miles) south of the epicenter, February 27, 2010. (REUTERS/Jose Luis Saavedra) #
14. A survivor is lowered by a cable as rescue workers search for victims after an apartment complex collapsed during an earthquake in Concepcion, Chile on February 27, 2010. (REUTERS/Jose Luis Saavedra) #
15. A man moves his belongings inside his home destroyed in an earthquake in Valparaiso February 27, 2010. (REUTERS/Eliseo Fernandez) #
16. A man walks past a wrecked church in Santiago, Chile on February 27, 2010. (MARTIN BERNETTI/AFP/Getty Images) #
17. People observe a highway and cars destroyed by an earthquake in Concepcion, Chile on February 27, 2010. (REUTERS/Jose Luis Saavedra) #
18. Cyclists observe a bridge that collapsed in an earthquake in Concepcion, Chileon February 27, 2010. (REUTERS/Jose Luis Saavedra) #
19. Photograph taken this morning of Concepcion, Chile by astronaut Soichi Noguchi, aboard the International Space Station: "Concepcion, Chile. Mega earthquake (M8.3) hit this city this morning. Photo taken a few hours ago. We pray for you." On TwitPic (Shoichi Noguchi) #
20. Vehicles sit on a destroyed motorway in Santiago following a powerful earthquake in southern Chile, Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010. (AP Photo/Carlos Espinoza) #
21. An overturned vehicle sits amidst rubble of a collapsed elevated highway in Santiago, Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010. A powerful earthquake struck central Chile early Saturday. (AP Photo/Carlos Espinoza) #
22. Residents look at a collapsed building in Concepcion, Chile, Saturday Feb. 27, 2010 after an 8.8-magnitude struck central Chile. The epicenter was 70 miles (115 kilometers) from Concepcion, Chile's second-largest city.(AP Photo) #
23. A man carries a child next to a damaged building in Concepcion, Chile, Saturday Feb. 27, 2010 after an 8.8-magnitude struck central Chile. (AP Photo) #
24. A resident walks along a damaged street in Talca, Chile, Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010, after a powerful earthquake struck central Chile. (AP Photo/Roberto Candia) #
25. An apartment block leans over after an earthquake in Santiago February 27, 2010.(REUTERS/Marco Fredes) #
26. An immigrant from Peru steps over debris after a major earthquake destroyed homes along Santo Domingo Street in Santiago February 27, 2010. (REUTERS/Marco Fredes) #
27. A man looks at the damage to the Accademy of Fine Arts building in Santiago after a huge 8.8-magnitude earthquake rocked Chile early morning killing at least 147 people, on February 27, 2010. (CLAUDIO SANTANA/AFP/Getty Images) #
28. A man rides his bicycle past a destroyed building in Concepcion, Chile, Saturday Feb. 27, 2010 after an 8.8-magnitude struck central Chile. The epicenter was 70 miles (115 kilometers) from Concepcion, Chile's second-largest city. (AP Photo) #
29. A man looks at rubble in Valparaiso, Chile, after a huge 8.8-magnitude earthquake rocked the country early morning killing at least 147 people, on February 27, 2010. (JORGE AMENGUAL/AFP/Getty Images) #
30. A destroyed bridge is seen next to Talca some 300 km (186 miles) south of Santiago February 27, 2010. (REUTERS/Victor Ruiz Caballero) #
31. A man carries a religious icon after an earthquake in Santiago February 27, 2010. (REUTERS/Sebastian Escobar) #
32. Women cry next to a destroyed building in Talca, Chile on February 27, 2010. (REUTERS/Victor Ruiz Caballero) #
33. Fishing boats washed up by a wave generated by an earthquake are seen in Talcahuano Port, a city just outside Concepcion, Chile on February 27, 2010. (REUTERS/Jose Luis Saavedra) #
34. Children walk past shipping containers washed up by a wave caused by an earthquake in Talcahuano Port, a city just outside Concepcion, Chile on February 27, 2010. (REUTERS/Jose Luis Saavedra) #
35. A policeman looks at cars washed against an apartment building by a wave generated by an earthquake in Talcahuano Port, near Concepcion, Chile on February 27, 2010. (REUTERS/Jose Luis Saavedra) #