Barack Obama News Blog

Earlier today, a devastating earthquake struck the nation of Chile. The aftershocks have prompted tsunami warnings across the Pacific Ocean, with the possibility of a tsunami reaching American shores of Hawaii, American Samoa, and Guam.

Following the news, President Obama made a statement expressing his condolences and support for Chile, and laying out the steps being taken to protect Americans:

Early indications are that hundreds of lives have been lost in Chile, and the damage is severe.  On behalf of the American people, Michelle and I send our deepest condolences to the Chilean people.  The United States stands ready to assist in the rescue and recovery efforts, and we have resources that are positioned to deploy should the Chilean government ask for our help.  Chile is a close friend and partner of the United States, and I’ve reached out to President Bachelet to let her know that we will be there for her should the Chilean people need assistance, and our hearts go out to the families who may have lost loved ones.

We’re also preparing for a tsunami that could reach American shores later today, particularly in Hawaii, American Samoa, and Guam.  A tsunami warning is in place, and people have been alerted to evacuate coastal areas.  I urge citizens to listen closely to the instructions of local officials, who will have the full support of the federal government as they prepare for a potential tsunami, and recover from any damage that may be caused.

I also urge our citizens along the West Coast to be prepared as well, as there may be dangerous waves and currents throughout the day.  Again, the most important thing that you can do is to carefully heed the instructions of your state and local officials.

Here are additional links and resources from the White House blog:

•   The National Weather Center’s Tsunami.gov.
• General Information on Tsumani preparedness as well as a tool to determine if your address is in a tsunami evacuation zone.
•  In Hawaii, citizens can go to  http://www.scd.state.hi.us/  for the latest news and information.  Additionally, the States of California, Washington, and Oregon have similar sites on their web pages dedicated to this.
• The State Department has collected information and resources at www.state.gov/chilequake. If you are U.S citizen looking for a loved one in Chile, please contact State’s Consular Affairs Bureau at 1-888-407-4747.
• A "person finder" has also been published to help find individuals in affected area in Chile – this resource is not maintained by the US government.