Guam gets tsunami scare after Chile quake

Guam - Mother Nature spared Guam from what could have been a serious event. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami warning for Guam after an earthquake registering a startling 8.8 on the Richter Scale struck the South American nation of Chile.

The Guam Homeland Security/Office of Civil Defense Sunday morning issued an advisory closing off all public beaches and advised residents in low-lying areas to be cautious. Just before 11 this morning, however, the all-clear was given.

GHS/OCD Public Affairs Officer Lesley Leon Guerrero told KUAM News, "We've been pushing out press releases since about ten o'clock last night and early this morning. We did close all public beaches at around 5:30 this morning and we did fully activate the Emergency Operation Center by nine."

In the meantime, the National Weather Service says a High Surf Advisory remains in effect with strong trade winds expected on the east side of the island, producing big swells. NWS Warning Coordination Meteorologist Chip Guard said, "We don't expect any destructive tsunamis coming in, but we could see some small sea level rise due to the tsunami being non-destructive. And that could bring the ocean levels up maybe a third or so; it can cause strong currents around the reef lines."

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