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 78 people. There are fears the tsunami could spread as far as Australia, with the Weather Bureau issuing a tsunami warning for Queensland following the quake.
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 weather bureau has issued a tsunami warning for parts of the New South Wales and Queensland coast, but says it is largely precautionary. The warning stretches from just north of Sydney up to Brisbane, but emergency services say there probably wont be any land inundation.
The larger than normal waves are expected to reach Australia around 8.45am AEDT. People in affected areas are being advised not to go down to the shore to see the waves come in. The tsunami has already caused serious damage to half of the southern island of Juan Fernandez, off the Chilean coast, according to local radio. (ABC)
