PAPEETE--Tsunamis struck French Polynesia Saturday but there was no major damage or casualties, as traffic in areas close to the sea was suspended in an alert following the quake in Chile.

Huge waves struck the Gambier archipelago at 6:30 am (1630 GMT), the high commissioner's office in Papeete said, as the tsunami raced across the Pacific.

The Marquesas islands, northeast of Polynesia, were hit between 7:00 and 8:00 am (1700-1800 GMT) by a series of two-meter (more than six feet) waves which damaged some boats but no one was hurt, officials said.

A four-meter (13-foot) wave hit Hiva Oa in the Marquesas later Saturday, officials said.
Schools across the region were closed, the port in Papeete was evacuated and thousands in Tahiti's hillside areas were transported from their homes to safer areas.

However many residents along the coast refused to leave, fearing lootings.

Between the waves the sea withdrew around 15 meters (50 feet) causing rip currents.

Sirens wailed in French Polynesia and PA systems woke up residents early Saturday to alert them about the impending waves.

The high commissioner's office in Papeete put the islands on alert at 2:00 am (1200 GMT).

A flight run by Air Tahiti Nui, due to arrive in Tahiti on Saturday, was diverted to Hawaii.

In Tahiti all traffic was banned within 500 meters (yards) of the coast.

The tsunami could also be as high as two meters on Rurutu in the Australes, the authorities said, while warning people to climb to at least 10 meters (33 feet) above sea level.

Tsunamis generally come in several waves of which the first may not be the highest.
A huge arc of Pacific nations from New Zealand to Japan went on tsunami alert following the 8.8 magnitude Chilean earthquake, readying emergency plans instituted after the Indian Ocean disaster of 2004.