SANTIAGO, Chile — Chile's president called on the country to remain calm and go about business as usual Friday despite the tsunami alert that applies to the entire Pacific coast of the American continents after Japan's magnitude-8.9 earthquake.
In Colombia and Peru, authorities have also made evacuation plans as a precaution. The tsunami was expected to hit at least 20 countries around the Pacific Rim, including the entire West Coast of the Americas, from Alaska to Antarctica.
Chile’s National Emergency Office will issue reports throughout the day to keep the public informed of the danger, and there will be enough time to evacuate if necessary, President Sebastian Pinera said.
"We are prepared to announce with the necessary anticipation" measures to protect the coastal population, he said.
Just over a year ago, Chile was slammed by a tsunami in the early morning darkness. The tsunami on Feb. 27, 2010 devastated coastal communities after an 8.8 earthquake just off the central coast.
On Friday, the first place to be affected would be Chile’s Easter Island, in the remote South Pacific about 2,175 miles (3,500 kilometers) east of the capital of Santiago, where the tsunami was expected to arrive around 5 p.m. (2000 GMT).
Fishermen were already pulling in their boats and the island’s airport, which is 150 feet (45 meters) above sea level, was setting up an evacuation center for the more than 5,000 residents and tourists in Hanga Roa, the island’s only town.
"Hanga Roa is oriented to the northwest, toward Japan and exposed to the wave. We’re going to be there, just watching the arrival of the tsunami," said Sergio Rapu, a former governor of the island. Islanders have been alerted and plan to evacuate the entire town at 12 p.m. (1500 GMT) — around five hours before the tsunami would arrive.
"There are hotels exposed, and also some of the restored monuments are very close to the ocean," Rapu said. "We’ll be watching, always with curiosity. This one will be in the middle off the day so we’ll be able to see it."
Colombia’s government has placed 16 low-lying towns and cities on alert for a possible evacuation, national disaster director Luz Amanda Pulido told The Associated Press. Colombia’s biggest coastal city is the port of Buenaventura, with 400,000 inhabitants.
Peru’s National Civil Defense Director Guillermo Alvizuri said authorities have ample time for evacuations if they are deemed necessary.
Peruvian navy Capt. Atilio Aste said in a radio interview that any tsunami would arrive late Friday along the entire coast. Aste said the waves could be of low height but officials are also not ruling out that they could be considerable.
