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Hawaii Braces for Expected Tsunami

Sirens are warning across the Hawaiian Islands and residents are bracing for an expected tsunami as a result of the massive 8.8 earthquake off the coast of Chile. Authorities predict  the tsunami wave should arrive at a height of over 8 feet  at approximately 4:19 pm EST, 11:19 am HST.

Thousands of residents and tourists have been evacuated from coastlines and low-lying areas throughout the state, including the islands of Maui, Kauai and the most populated island, Oahu, where Honolulu lies. Hilo Bay on the island of Hawaii is said to be of extreme concern.

The Honolulu Advertiser has alerts, video and a comprehensive news feed on the potential tsunami.

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NYT: No significant wave damage and tsunami warning canceled: "Tsunami waves arrived in Hawaii on Saturday afternoon, as predicted, causing erratic surges in the sea, but the impact was not nearly as great as had been feared. The rising water did not appear to cause significant property damage, officials said, and a tsunami warning was canceled.... Hawaii television news showed the tide moving in and out in Helo Bay, a spot traditionally hard hit in tsunamis. In this case, the tsunami was creating what appeared to be white-water rapids in certain spots in the harbor as the water rushed in and out. But the tsunami, which clearly had arrived, had not caused any obvious damage."

Massive 8.8 Earthquake Hits Chilean Coast, Triggers Tsunamis

A massive earthquake has hit the coast of Chile, killing dozens of people, flattening buildings and triggering a 7.7 foot tsunami wave. The 8.8-magnitude quake, the country's largest in 25 years, shook the capital Santiago for a minute and half at 3:34am. The death toll is expected to rise, perhaps substantially.

The photo above taken at a freeway near the capital of Santiago. The major elevated highway and bridge connecting northern and southern Chile "was rendered inoperable", CNN reports.

The entire Pacific Rim as far away as Hawaii and Australia are under tsunami warning. Eight foot and four foot tsunami waves were reported in Chile. Beaches are closing in Hawaii and the state is preparing to start evacuations ahead of a tsunami generated by the massive earthquake in Chile, Reuters reports.

CNN reports the Chilean quake was 700 times stronger than last month's 7.7 earthquake that devastated Haiti. More information as it develops ...

Major Earthquake in Haiti, Damage and Tsunami Warning

Developing news: A strong earthquake has hit Haiti and the Associated Press reports a "hospital has collapsed" near the capital Port-au-Prince. There appears to be major destruction ...

The U.S. Geological Survey says the quake had a preliminary magnitude of 7.3. It was centered about 14 miles west of Port-au-Prince. The significant and shallow earthquake has caused a tsunami threat and warning for Haiti, Cuba, the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic. More details as they develop ...

UPDATE: There are reports of a magnitude 7 aftershock (very major) and damage in the Dominican Republic.

UPDATE: Tsunami warning is cancelled.

1000+ Dead After Earthquakes and Tsunami Hit Indonesia, Samoa

UPDATE: AFP confirms almost 500 dead in Indonesia.

The death toll rises after a series of tsunamis caused by an undersea quaked slammed the Samoan archipelago. Then the devastating quake in Western Sumatra, Indonesia:

"It measured 7.9, just shy of the size of earthquake that sparked [the] tsumani. ... Health Ministry crisis centre head Rustam Pakaya warning it could exceed 1,000 in the city of close to one million residents. Thousands of people were trapped as buildings, roads and bridges collapsed. The earthquake also triggered a landslide which cut power and telecommunications, resulting in further confusion."

The Padang Fault is the same fault line that triggered the catastrophic December 2004 tsunami that killed more than 200,000.

The tsunami death toll in Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga is at least 110 and will likely increase. American Samoa is said to be "in ruin". 

Some video from Indonesia, AFTER THE JUMP.

Developing: Massive Earthquake Rocks Western Indonesia

A powerful underwater earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia's Sumatra island. Reuters reports hundreds of casualties and thousands are feared trapped beneath flattened buildings.

The earthquake had a magnitude of 7.6 and was one of several earthquakes in the region following yesterday's devastating Samoan earthquake and tsunami. The Indonesian quake is on the same fault line that triggered the catastrophic December 2004 tsunami that killed more than 200,000 people across the Indian Ocean region. More details later ...

Many Are Dead After Earthquake and Tsunami Hits Samoan Islands

This was the main road in the downtown area of Fagatogo,  American Samoa. A towering 15-foot tsunami triggered by a massive 8.0-magnitude earthquake swept ashore on American Samoa and the neighboring independent Samoa, flattening villages and killing dozens of people. Many others are missing at devastated National Park Service facilities.

A Pacific-wide tsunami warning was issued after the massive undersea quake struck near American Samoa. There were "reports of a small tsunami reaching New Zealand and rising sea levels in several South Pacific island nations," says the New York Times. Japan braced for a possible tsunami and small tsunami waves were sighted on the Hawaiian coast.

President Obama declared "a major disaster exists" in American Samoa.  Luckily, supplies are pre-positioned in Hawaii, reports AFP.

Watch news reports from Australia and New Zealand, as well as raw video, WHEN YOU JUMP.