2

Tsunami watches, warnings, and advisories were issued in Ecuador, Peru, New Zealand, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Hawaii, California and Japan.^[15] The first tsunami waves arrived on the Chilean coast within minutes.^[16] A wave 4.5 m (15 ft) high was observed along the coast of Coquimbo and the cities of Coquimbo, Tongoy and Concón reported flooding;^[3]large fishing vessels were swept into the streets of Coquimbo, which reported heavy damage.^[17]

In Tongoy, "large parts of the sea front" were destroyed. Across the region at least 500 buildings were destroyed,^[10] while dozens of beachfront homes in Los Vilos were damaged or destroyed.^[17] A state of emergency was declared in Coquimbo a day after the tsunami, with troops to be deployed to the area.^[10]

Evacuations[edit]

Chilean authorities ordered the immediate evacuation of the coast due to tsunami risk,^[12] with many people in coastal areas receiving automatic notices by cellphone shortly after the quake.^[6] The undersecretary for the ministry of the interior and public security reported that the evacuation affected one million people across the country.^[3]

Although causing damage in the hundreds of millions, the Illapel earthquake's low death toll relative to the 525 casualties of the (significantly more powerful) 2010 Chile earthquake was credited, in part, to its localization in a less-populated region, better coastal preparedness and an improved tsunami warning system, the longstanding enforcement of seismic building codes, and an improved emergency response.^[18]

eran