Phivolcs raises tsunami alert over 20 provinces

Tourists flee as the first of six tsunamis that hit Hat Rai Lay Beach in Thailand roll closer in this file photo dated December 26, 2004. The Phivolcs has told residents of 20 coastal provinces in the Philippines to keep watch and be alert after an 8.3-magnitude quake hit the sea off Chile in South America. AP

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines — The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has raised a tsunami alert over 20 provinces in the country following the magnitude-8.3 quake that hit Chile across the Pacific Ocean, the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (Apsemo) said.

Apsemo told Albay residents to stay alert and listen for updates after the temblor struck off the South American country at 6:55 a.m., Thursday.

People along coastal areas facing the Pacific Ocean and the Philippine Sea should keep watch, Apsemo said.

An Apsemo bulletin stressed that Phivolcs had not given any evacuation order, however.

According to Apsemo, Phivolcs urged monitoring of sea level changes saying the Chile earthquake had the potential of generating a destructive tsunami.
Coastal communities fronting the Philippine Sea/Pacific Ocean that were advised to wait and listen for updates are the Batanes Group of Islands, Sorsogon, Cagayan, Northern Samar, Ilocos Norte, Eastern Samar, Isabela, Leyte, Quezon, Southern Leyte, Aurora, Surigao del Norte, Camarines Norte, Surigao del Sur, Camarines Sur, Davao Oriental, Albay, Davao del Sur, Catanduanes and Davao Occidental.